Georgia high school officials to prepare NIL reform proposal

Twenty-six high school associations across the country allow student-athletes to participate in NIL activities without losing eligibility. But many high school groups in the Southeast have remained firm in their stance against NIL reform.

That could be changing in Georgia, though. For the first time, leaders of the Georgia High School Association indicated that a serious look at NIL reform is needed.

The minutes of the Jan. 11 GHSA board meeting revealed that executive director Dr. Robin Hines lead a discussion about name, image and likeness issues in future state-sanctioned events.

According to the minutes, Hines told the committee that more than 20 states have already approved rules concerning NIL on the high school level. The minutes also say Hines “felt Georgia should be prepared to do the same in the very near future.” To that end, Hines informed the board that the GHSA office would prepare a proposal to be presented to the State Executive Committee at an upcoming meeting in April.

On3 NIL High School Rules

The current GHSA constitution says high school athletes risk forfeiting their amateur status by “capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving money or gifts with monetary value except college scholarships.” Previously, the Georgia High School Athletic Association released a statement in July 2021 handing the decision and guidance over NIL to state legislators.

NIL discussion in Georgia is ‘monumental’

Some Georgia high school analysts still believe NIL reform in Georgia is a long shot. But it’s still a significant step forward that actual discussions are taking place and that a proposal is being formulated.

“They’re heading in the direction of at least seriously considering a change, which would be monumental considering of the five states that border Georgia, only Tennessee permits NIL for high school athletes right now,” Dan Greene, a NIL expert and associate attorney at Newman & Lickstein in Syracuse, N.Y., told On3.

NIL is outlawed on the high school level in neighboring Florida, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina. Plus, Mississippi High School Activities Association executive director Rickey Neaves told The Star-Herald last fall that the MHSAA will not alter its eligibility rules to allow high school student-athletes in the state to participate in NIL activities.

“We are not approving it at any level,” Neaves told The Star-Herald. “High school students are amateur athletes. We do not want to jeopardize their amateur status in any sport. We’ll leave that to the colleges. They’re too young to be making decisions like that.”

However, two Florida athletes recently sued the Florida High School Athletic Association for the right to earn NIL money while playing for their high school teams.

Where is NIL allowed for high schoolers?

Illinois and New Hampshire recently became the 25^th and 26^th state associations to join the ever-growing list of states allowing high school student-athletes to participate in NIL deals without losing eligibility.

High school associations that changed their bylaws in 2022 to allow NIL on the high school level:

• Colorado
• District of Columbia
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• New Hampshire
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Washington

It’s also permissible in Alaska, California, Connecticut, Kansas, Nebraska, New Jersey and New York. Plus, high school officials in Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, South Dakota and Wyoming have indicated they’re also having discussions about revising their current NIL regulations.