Indiana high school athletes can earn money off their name this year after the board of directors of the Indiana High School Athletic Association approved a name, image, likeness proposal Monday.
Despite the expectation of a tight vote, the directors approved the “personal branding activities” measure by a 13-5 vote at their monthly meeting in Indianapolis.
The board also soundly rejected a bid to establish a 35-second shot clock for boys and girls varsity basketball games. The vote failed 17-1.
The board, made up of athletic directors, principals and superintendents, endorsed the personal branding initiative but distinguished it from the college version of name-image-likeness or NIL.
Hoosier athletes who market their name won’t be allowed to use their school affiliation, nickname or mascot, nor appear in a school uniform during their promotions.
“Unlike the current college system, where schools often play a direct role in NIL compensation, the new rule keeps high schools out of arranging or funding deals for student athletes,” said IHSAA Commissioner Paul Neidig in a release.
The door opened for college athletes to profit from NIL in 2020 after a pair of lawsuits favored Division I athletes and the NCAA began regulating it.
It reached the high school level in 2022.
“Instead, it allows students to benefit independently from their school, without using school branding or representing school-sponsored endorsements. It creates a clear distinction between the college model and the educational mission of high school athletes.”
In an interview last week, Neidig said based on his visits to schools across the state, he concluded the vote might be close.
Indiana had been somewhat of an NIL holdout, although it has an amateur rule allowing athletes to use their name to promote activities like basketball camps or product promotion on social media.
With the vote, Indiana became the 47th state to approve an NIL policy.
“We believe it is far better to be proactive and create thoughtful, education-based guidelines ourselves than to have policies forced upon high school athletics. This approach allows us to protect the values of high school sports while adapting responsibly to a changing landscape,” Neidig said.
Beginning with the fall sports season, students will be able to monetize their name through social media, personal appearances and endorsements unrelated to their school athletic participation.
They may also provide non-athletic services such as tutoring, personal training instruction, or coaching youth sports for compensation.
They aren’t allowed to represent products that promote gaming or gambling, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis or banned substances including performance-enhancing products. Promotions, including sexually explicit material, firearms or weapons, are also banned.
The proposal requires athletes to notify their high school athletic director in writing within 48 hours of signing a personal branding deal.
Meanwhile, Indiana will remain a holdout on the basketball shot clock despite a favorable recommendation from the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association that drew support from 68% of coaches.
There are 32 states that use the shot clock, which first began in colleges in 1985 with a 45-second clock. The NCAA reduced it to 35 seconds in 1993 and 30 seconds in 2015.
The shot clock would have been used in varsity games only. Neidig said 66 schools have equipment set up to deploy the shot clock.
School administrators were concerned over additional costs for personnel to operate the clock and for the equipment.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
