Florida could pay high school athletes under NIL policy
High school star student-athletes could be paid for the likeness-images-and names if Florida passes a bill that allows NIL.
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A recent draft proposal by the Florida High School Athletic Association for amateurism high school athletes could allow high school student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness while maintaining their high school athletic eligibility.
“Some families are not fortunate enough to put their child in a position to excel just because they don’t have the money for it,” said Maliki Wright, Dr. Phillips High School varsity football safety.
Florida is one of 16 states that does not pay its high school athletes.
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As of October 4, 2023,(30) states and the District of Columbia allow high school student-athletes who compete in interscholastic athletics to receive NIL compensation.
The new language in FHSAA Policy 9.9 would allow high school student-athletes in Florida to monetize their NIL while maintaining their eligibility.
“I’m a little indifferent about that just because they’re so young, and I do think that they have a lot to learn. I do think that maybe putting the money away if they were going to do NIL put the money away in a trust fund,” said Bert Joseph, Owner of Look Who’s Fit.
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Student-athletes would not be able to monetize their name, image, and likeness with the use of their school’s uniform, equipment, logo, name, proprietary patents, products, and, or copyrights associated with an FHSAA member school and, or school district, either in public, print or social media platforms.
The bill doesn’t state how and when a student-athlete would get paid, but it does state the student and their parents/guardians will be required to negotiate any NIL activities independent of their school, school district, or the FHSAA.
FHSAA told Eyewitness News that the association’s board of directors will meet in late April to further discuss the policy.
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Current states whose athletes receive interscholastic NIL payments: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
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