Subject to an upcoming final vote in December, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) likely will authorize Pennsylvania high school athletes to participate in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) activities. According to this Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, the PIAA’s board of directors recently passed, unanimously, the second reading of an amendment to the PIAA’s constitution and bylaws that would permit NIL transactions.
As is the case for other high school athletic associations across the country (including Massachusetts and Oregon, it is expected that the PIAA rule will impose certain restrictions on NIL deals. Unsurprisingly, such associations are discussing NIL matters with each other. Some of the PIAA limitations highlighted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article include:
- “No one affiliated with the high school or employed by the school may arrange for NIL deals or pay players”
- “PIAA athletes cannot promote adult entertainment products or services, alcohol products, controlled substances, opioids, anything to do with gambling or sports betting, or weapons, firearms and ammunition”
- “Student-athletes may not make any reference to the PIAA or any member school, team or team nickname in NIL ads”
Finally, the PIAA’s final rule likely will require student-athletes to report all NIL transactions to their respective school administrators.