Following a Dec. 7 Board of Control Meeting, the Maryland Public Schools Athletic Association (MPSAA), the athletic governing body of the state’s public schools, adopted guidance for Name Image and Likeness (NIL) for interscholastic athletics. Those guidelines were recently released, essentially flashing a green light for state high school athletes, under the MPSAA’s jurisdiction, to profit from the marketing of their Name, Image and Likeness.

Maryland becomes the 24th state to allow student-athletes to participate in NIL activities, following recent similar decisions in Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

NIL became a reality following a June, 2021 unanimous decision by the Supreme Court, in National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston, 141 S.Ct. 2141 (2021), that stated the NCAA’s rules limiting education-related benefits for student-athletes violated federal antitrust laws.

This ruling applied specifically to NCAA rules but the opportunities quickly spread to high school students as various state athletic associations enacted their own guidance to govern NIL activities.

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

In issuing its guidance the MPSAA has determined that “Student-athletes and their families may engage or work with professional service providers, such as agents and advisors, to engage in NIL activities for financial gain, except as prohibited by this guidance.”

What is the potential?

In June The Athletic reported a 5-Star recruit in the Class of 2023 signed an NIL deal worth more than $8 million, which included $350,000 up front and monthly payments that will increase to more than $2 million per year once he steps foot on his college campus.

Nike signed its first NIL deal earlier this year, inking Harvard-Westlake (Los Angeles) soccer players Alyssa and Gisele Thompson, to a multiyear agreement. Five-star basketball recruit Mikey Williams struck a lucrative deal with Puma and New York basketball players Johnuel Fland and Ian Jackson, as well as Louisiana wrestler Richie Clementi also signed deals.

The following activities were declared permissible:

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

However, all such activities must remain separate from their participation in interscholastic athletics. Thus, student-athletes are prohibited from engaging in the following non-exclusive list of activities when engaging in school-based interscholastic athletics:

o Wearing third-party apparel

o Displaying a third-party logo or brand

o Displaying a third-party insignia or identifying mark

In addition, student-athletes are prohibited from engaging in any NIL activities involving the following non-exclusive categories of products or services:

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

The prohibition on MPSSAA student athletes doing NIL deals to promote video games is unique, making the MPSSAA the first state association to do this.

The MPSSAA also issued further guidelines to its Member Schools and Local Education Agencies, which included employees, contractors, volunteers, administrators and coaches, stating they may not:

The last point also makes Maryland the first state to specifically prohibit the formation of NIL Collectives within schools. This does not prevent third parties from forming NIL Collectives.

The MPSSAA further stated that violation of these guidelines could lead to a loss of a student-athlete’s amateur status, which would make that student-athlete ineligible for participation in interscholastic athletics. In addition, violations by individuals affiliated with MPSSAA member schools or a LEA could lead to penalties for those individuals.

The states two largest private school athletic associations, the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) and Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM), have not yet released any guidance on NIL initiatives. According to sources, both organizations are studying the MPSSAA decision and have it has an agenda item for discussion in the coming months.

Gary Adornato

gary@varsitysportsnetwork.com

Gary Adornato is the founder and original publisher of Varsity Sports Network, a high school sports news network that became part of The Baltimore Banner in August 2022.

More from Gary Adornato

Spalding grad Cam Whitmore taken by Houston in the first round of the NBA Draft

The 41st Brooks Robinson High School All-Star Game is set for this Sunday

More From The Banner

Ft. Carroll as seen during a CBF Tour of the EPA Superfund Site on 3/25/24 in Baltimore, MD.

Baltimore’s oddest island: Key Bridge shines new light on abandoned fort

Helena Hicks, civil rights crusader who countered segregation with sit-ins, dies at 88

Dazhon Leslie Darien

Suspect in Pikesville AI case set off red flags before racist recording spread

Errors in Nick Mosby’s latest fundraising report raise even more questions