If Georgia High School Association (GHSA) thought, they were having problems with high school sports when it comes to athletes transferring to high schools outside of their district to continue playing sports was a problem. Granting high school athletes, the opportunity to make money off their name image, and likeness (NIL) just took things to a whole new level. The same rules apply to high school students as it does college athletes can not use school names, logos, gear, school facilities and other trademarked things can’t be used. One thing that is different for high school athletes is they can’t endorse tobacco or alcohol because the athlete will be violating school policy.
Several athletes around the state of Georgia are fighting ineligibility issues to play at a school in a new area because they want an opportunity to get out of the current environment, they live knowing the high school they are looking to play for has the resources they need to get them recruited by top tier sporting programs.
The state of Georgia refuses to allow open enrollment because on average the state of Georgia spends $12,145 per public school student per year. If a school closes in the district in which that student lives, they can find another school to attend in the area.
Students have the option to attend public charter schools, magnet schools, online schools, or even private schools. If a student chooses to attend one of those schools, the parents may have to pay a fee for the student to attend and will have to find a means of transportation for the student to arrive and get home from school every day.
Now that the state of Georgia has passed a bill for athletes to make money off their name, image, and likeness, the number of ineligible athletes should decrease when it comes to athletes playing out of the area because those athletes will have the financial means pay for living quarters in areas, to play for high schools that will be able to help further their futures along.
The rule of athletes can not get paid for performance or enticed to attend a particular school is prohibited, we must be honest with ourselves and ask the question is that being regulated now or are they calling it something else to prevent the NCAA from coming down on programs that participate in this type of practice. Enclosed is a link to opendorse that can provide information for each of the 30 states that are participating in high school athletes making money off their name, image and likeness. https://biz.opendorse.com/blog/nil-high-school/
The next outcry from the state of Georgia about high school athletes making money from name, image, and likeness will center around the number of players that are moving to other districts and schools not getting enough funds because their headcount is low. Not only that athletes must make their principals aware they have signed a contract with someone providing the athlete a NIL deal, how do you think things will change when high school athletes are making more than the teachers at the schools they attend?
The state of Georgia has become the 30th state to allow high school athletes to make money off their name, image, and likeness. Some people feel that high school athletes will be put into contractual situations they are not aware of because they are not 18 years old or older to understand the contract they are signing and what will be required of that high school athlete. We will follow up on this subject to provide more insight as it comes.