NIL opportunities may be coming for high school athletes in Michigan

The addition of NIL to collegiate sports now also brings the possibility for high school athletes to profit off their own name, image and likeness too. State governments around the country are deciding whether to allow NIL for high school athletes. A little over half the states currently passed laws allowing NIL for high schoolers, and Michigan may be the next state.

Rep. Jimmie Wilson Jr. of Ypsilanti proposed Bill 4816 in June, which brings forward NIL for high school athletes. There are many aspects of the bill that the Michigan Legislature will have to go over and that includes the basics of what athletes can and cannot have contracts with. One thing is about how high schoolers cannot legally enter into their own contract due to being minors. You have to be the age of 18 to legally sign your own contract.

“All high school student athletes that enter NIL contracts need parental consent and all contracts will be reviewed by the Michigan High School Athletic Association. There are also provisions in the bill that certain types of contracts athletes couldn’t enter into like gambling, adult entertainment, firearms, control substances, and things like that,” said Wilson.