In the beginning of this month, student-athletes from approximately 100 private high schools in North Carolina were given the opportunity to earn money by utilizing their name, image, and likeness.

On February 2, the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association declared a new policy allowing student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness. This opportunity is not currently available to student-athletes attending public schools in North Carolina.

After the announcement of the NCISAA policy, certain individuals in high school sports within public schools expressed worries about potential incentives and advantages that may entice athletes to transfer to private schools.

After the NCISAA announced its policy, some of the worries were alleviated. The policy includes guidelines to safeguard student-athletes and prevent schools from being involved in NIL agreements. Schools are prohibited from facilitating NIL deals for their students and cannot form collectives like some colleges have done.

On Tuesday, the Carolina Panthers held a press conference for the Keep Pounding High School Classic. Four head coaches from high schools in Charlotte were in attendance, including Chad Grier, the head coach of Providence Day School. This school has won the NCISAA Division I state championship for two consecutive years.

Grier expressed that he believes the fuss over NIL in high school sports is unnecessary. He stated that there is no financial gain involved.

David Sanders, a top offensive tackle in the Class of 2025, currently attends Providence Day.

Grier indicated Sanders, who was sitting a few feet away, as the top-ranked player in the country. Sanders has an NIL deal and received a Gatorade hoodie, but it’s too big for him and his sister might be able to wear it instead.

Other coaches also expressed Grier’s opinion that NIL is not as significant as some are portraying it to be.

“I have received a few phone calls from concerned parents…who are worried that many of our public school students will transfer to private schools. My reply was that regardless of NIL, those students would have left anyways. To be honest, they were already considering it. NIL will not significantly alter the current situation,” stated Chris James, head football coach at Myers Park.

James stated that while it is excellent for players like Sanders to negotiate their own deals, they may not ultimately result in significant gains.

According to James, the individual in question is not earning one hundred, two hundred, or three hundred thousand dollars for engaging in that kind of activity. However, as the top player in the country, he is able to provide valuable exposure to certain companies and this is a great opportunity to promote his name.

According to Grier, there is simply no financial opportunity for high school athletes in the NIL market, even for top-rated athletes like Sanders.

“I believe there is now a fund in college called NIL, which used to go by a different name, and the funds have been redistributed… Essentially, an NIL deal involves a sponsor or company investing in someone with a significant following in order to increase engagement,” explained Grier. “Although David may be talented, it’s unlikely that anyone would pay him a large sum to endorse a product without seeing any return on their investment.”

According to Grier, he has not received any calls inquiring about signing Sanders for an NIL deal. He then asked Sanders if he had been “inundated with calls,” to which Sanders replied no amidst some laughter.

According to Grier, it’s just wasting time and energy over something that’s not important.

Andy Capone, the football coach at Weddington, recently led his team to victory in the NCHSAA 4A state championship. He expressed concern about the potential effects of NIL on the integrity of high school sports. He worries that if students are motivated solely by NIL deals rather than a love for the game, it could have a detrimental impact.

Capone stated that in his opinion, high school football maintains the true essence of the sport compared to college football, which has recently become entangled with NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) regulations, and the NFL, known for its commercial nature.

D.J. McFadden, the coach at Independence, is worried about the potential inequality in allowing student-athletes in North Carolina to profit from their name, image, and likeness. He believes that all student-athletes in the state should have equal opportunities in this regard.

McFadden stated that he does not believe these children will be earning a large amount of money, and he does not think it will have a significant impact. However, he does acknowledge that even if a child is able to earn $40 or $50, it could greatly benefit a student at a public school. His main concern is fairness and ensuring that all children have equal opportunities. If the decision is made to implement this change, it should be applied to all students.

In May of 2023, the NCHSAA Board of Directors approved a NIL policy that closely resembled the one passed by the NCISAA earlier this month. This policy would have allowed student-athletes at over 400 high schools, primarily public schools, to participate in NIL activities starting in July of 2023. However, the State Board of Education intervened and halted its implementation.

As a result of a new law, the State Board of Education is required to grant approval for any rules regarding NIL for high school students. This process of creating rules caused a potential one-year delay, despite the fact that the NCHSAA had already implemented a policy.

Grier and McFadden both agree that public school students are the ones who would benefit most from NIL opportunities. They believe that if a student has the chance to take advantage of NIL, they should not be hindered in any way. While they will not actively assist in the process, they will also not impede the student’s efforts.

According to Grier, public schools have a greater capacity to obtain sponsorships from nearby companies, and a portion of those funds could potentially assist student-athletes.

He suggested that a program be created to provide kids with cleats or team bags, something that would be valuable to them. He expressed his hope that the public school association can find a solution for this.

The State Board of Education may implement an NIL policy for student-athletes in public schools as soon as this spring or summer.

At this time, NCISAA members can benefit from using their name, image, and likeness, while student-athletes at NCHSAA member schools are not able to.

Grier stated that our focus is on children and we receive compensation for our work with children. Our choices are guided by what is beneficial for the children. If this is our approach, it should be simple to develop a policy that benefits both public and private school students.

Source: highschoolot.com