Florida Becomes The Latest State To Allow High School Athletes To Profit From Nil Deals

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida is the latest state to allow high school athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness.

The Florida High School Athletic Association unanimously approved a measure Tuesday that allows students to earn money through NIL without putting their athletic eligibility at risk. The changes go into effect for the 2024-25 season, with administrators hoping they won't create recruiting issues or competitive imbalances.

Under the new rules, students and parents or guardians are responsible for negotiating NIL deals.

Provisions prohibit athletes from earning money off NIL while using their school’s uniform, logo, equipment or similar intellectual or physical properties. They also forbid schools from using NIL to entice students to attend their institution and prohibits students from securing NIL deals after an in-season transfer without a good-cause exemption from the relevant school district.

An initial violation of NIL policies would result in a formal warning and termination of the agreement. A second offense would lead to a one-year suspension.

The FHSAA rules also prohibit schools from setting up college-style NIL collectives, defined as “groups, organizations, or cooperative enterprises that exist to collect funds from donors and help facilitate NIL deals for student-athletes and/or create ways for athletes to monetize from their NIL.”

The FHSAA rules also ban NIL deals with certain types of organizations, including adult entertainment, alcohol, tobacco and vaping products, cannabis and related substances, controlled substances and prescription drugs, gambling and related organizations, weapons and ammunition, or political or social activism.

More than 30 states now allow high schoolers to profit from NIL, including California and New York.

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