(WWJ) High school athletes in Michigan will be able to make money from their name, image and likeness starting immediately.
The Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association approved an expansion of personal branding activities, which is also known as NIL, allowing student-athletes at schools in the association to potentially benefit from such opportunities.
The association previously allowed some branding opportunities, including the abilities for student-athletes to conducts camps, clinics and private lessons. Additional activities allowed by the new policy include social media endorsements and promotions, personal appearances, photo sessions or autograph signings; modeling, advertising, merchandise, sports cards or apparel sales; and the use of a student’s name, image or likeness in marketing materials.
“We have said from the start of this conversation that the MHSAA could be comfortable with a policy that provides individual branding opportunities for individual student-athletes, and this rule change provides those while excluding the possibility of collectives, and boosters and school people getting involved in those activities,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said in a statement. “This is the essence of what NIL was supposed to allow in the first place, and we’re confident we’ve crafted language that allows true NIL opportunities without affecting competitive equity among our member schools.”
Schools, including coaches and other employees, are not allowed to solicit, arrange, negotiate or promote the activities on behalf of their student-athletes. If they do, the school's membership with the association could be in jeopardy. In addition the student-athlete could be ineligible games.
"It's not really a surprise," Detroit Catholic Central Athletic Director Aaron Babicz told WWJ's Jeremy Otto. He added that the discussions started during COVID in 2020. "We weren't expecting it to happen during the current school year, but other than that I don't think it was a surprise. I think we saw recently Ohio had approved it as well and Michigan and Ohio work relatively close with each other in regards to some of their rules so I think we all had a feeling it was coming soon than later."
Babicz said it's scary, but exciting for the kids.
"We live in a world of educational athletics and this teeters on the line of something that is way different than I think any of us got into this for," Babicz said. He added they'll try to educate their student-athletes to make sure they know how to look at contracts and other things.
The policy says all activities must be disclosed to the MHSAA at least seven business days in advance of an opportunity or contract being accepted, and receive MHSAA approval. Schools may choose to have stricter rules if they choose.