Ohio becomes the 45th state to allow high school athletes to enter into name, image and likeness agreements.
Member schools of the Ohio High School Athletic Association voted 447-121 to approve the referendum, which was filed six months after a lawsuit filed by a prominent receiver forced the issue.
Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Jayza Page issued a temporary restraining order on Oct. 20 in a lawsuit filed by the mother of one of the nation’s top football players in the Class of 2027 seeking to allow students to enter into their own deals.
The OHSAA’s new bylaws, announced Monday, take effect immediately and come three years after members voted against a no-holds-barred proposal.
OHSAA members voted decisively against the NIL proposal in 2022, by a vote of 538-254. The issue remains controversial, with 247 schools – 30.2% of the 818 member schools – abstaining from voting.
“Whether or not our schools or individuals agree with the NIL at the high school level, courts have spoken on this issue across the country that the NCAA and high school athletic associations cannot prevent a student-athlete from making money from the NIL,” OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ottey said in a statement.
The regulation sets forth reporting procedures and limitations so that students do not jeopardize their eligibility while complying with employment regulations and amateur bylaws.
Jasmine Brown, Jemire Brown’s mother, filed the lawsuit in Franklin County Common Pleas Court on Oct. 15 as a “parent or conservator.” Brown is a junior attending Wayne High School in Huber Heights, a suburb of Dayton. He is the top wide receiver in the Class of 2027. Brown has verbally committed to Ohio State University, which is located in Franklin County.
Brown’s mother and attorneys stated that Brown had already missed out on more than $100,000 in potential no-loss trades.
They plan to ask for the lawsuit against them to be dismissed, said Luke Vidlam, the Browns’ attorney with the Amundsen Davis law firm in Columbus. Another hearing on the preliminary injunction is scheduled for December 15.
“This represents not only a huge victory for Jemire Brown and his family, but also for hardworking high school student-athletes across the state of Ohio,” Fedlam said. “Mr. Brown wanted to see these changes positively impact high school student-athletes across the state, and now he has achieved that.”
Alabama, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, and Wyoming remain the only states without a high school NIL framework.
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