OHSAA Having Schools Vote On NIL Issue

The Ohio High School Athletic Association is putting to a vote whether high school athletes should be able to make money off their name, image and likeness.

Findlay High School Athletic Director Nate Weihrauch says NIL has changed the landscape of collegiate athletics and now we’re seeing the trickle-down into high school sports.

Nate says Findlay City Schools administrators will discuss the NIL issue soon.

He says he could see an impact that could gradually create bigger issues and concerns if not done correctly, and that safeguards need to be in place to support and protect students, parents and school districts.

“Could this be the start to the end of education-based athletics as we know it, or simply do you vote yes to get out in front of what is likely inevitable.”

There are more than 800 high schools in Ohio and each school gets one vote.

The online voting started this week and will run through May 16th.

The new bylaw reads as follows on the OHSAA website.

This proposed addition would now allow student-athletes to sign endorsement agreements so long as their teams, schools and/or the OHSAA are not being represented within those endorsements and provided there are no endorsements with companies that do not support the mission of education-based athletics (casinos, gambling, alcohol, drugs, tobacco). If passed, effective May 16, 2022.