Eccker Sports, Texas HS Football partner to provide NIL resources

The signing of Texas Senate Bill 1385 into law in June 2021 prevents high school athletes in the state from pursuing NIL activities. However, at least one third-party company is offering NIL-related services to stakeholders in Texas. The information platform Eccker Sports announced Wednesday that it has partnered with TexasHSFootball.com.

Eccker Sports will provide NIL services and resources to athletes and their parents through the website.

The announcement follows an announcement in May that Eccker Sports partnered with the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA).

There are now 19 states, plus the District of Columbia, where high school athletic associations allow athletes to enter into NIL agreements without losing their eligibility. However, Texas isn’t one of them.

Neither are Florida and Georgia, two other states that typically produce a high number of blue-chip recruits. Here you can view the high school athletic association rules in every state.

“With the emergence of the NIL phenomenon on athletics, our concern here at Texas HS Football has been for our audience to have a trusted source to navigate this ever changing “pay-for-play” marketplace,” Texas HS Football President and CEO David Phillips said in a statement. “In meeting with the executives at Eccker Sports, it became apparent that this company is meeting the challenge of providing the resources and the know-how to educate and support the Texas High School Football players that we showcase each week here at TexasHSFooball.com.

“Therefore, we are proud to announce our partnership with Eccker Sports as our exclusive NIL sponsor.”

Eccker Sports NIL Playbook available on Texas HS Football

In a press release, Eccker Sports said visitors of TexasHSFootball.com can view the Eccker Sports NIL Playbook by clicking banner ads. Eccker Sports’ curriculum includes six online modules where users learn about the history of NIL, important terms and best practices.

“Texas HS Football is a rapidly growing brand that is working on becoming a staple for high school football coverage in Texas,” Eccker Sports COO and co-founder Tim Prukop said in a statement. “We too are a growing brand that is providing high school coaches, student-athletes and families with the resources to create the most effective and rewarding NIL strategies. We have a lot of similarities and are eager to launch this partnership and provide TexasHSFootball.com’s growing user base access to our comprehensive NIL educational services.

“It’s a win-win relationship for everyone.”

Texas lawmakers will first need to amend the state’s NIL law in order for high schoolers to engage in NIL activities. It states, “No individual, corporate entity, or other organization may… enter into any arrangement with a prospective student athlete relating to the prospective student athlete’s name,
image, or likeness prior to their enrollment in an institution of higher education.”