Ohio Wants to Stop High School Athletes from Making Money

Ohio is weighing a new law to prohibit high school athletes from profiting off their name, image, and likeness (NIL).

Background

• The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) recently voted to allow NIL deals after a judge blocked their previous rules.
• Ohio is now one of 45 states where high school athletes can earn money from their personal brand.

Opposition

State Representative Adam Bird plans to introduce a bill to ban NIL deals for high school athletes. His concerns include:

• Sports should focus on life skills like discipline and teamwork, not on making money.
• Mental health risks: Bird cites a study showing suicide rates among college athletes have doubled over 20 years.
• Timing: He believes athletes should earn money outside of high school, such as in professional leagues or the Olympics.

Timeline

• Bird aims to pass the bill by the end of June 2026.
• The legislature won't meet until then, but Bird insists the state legislature should decide this issue, not just the courts.

OHSAA's Stance

• Doug Ute, OHSAA's executive director, stated that the courts have already made their decision on this matter.