COLUMBUS, Ohio — A proposal to allow high school student-athletes to make money off their name, image and likeness has been struck down, according to the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
The decision comes after a voting process that spanned more than two weeks and included input from school leaders statewide.
The policy proposed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association would have allowed student-athletes to sign endorsement deals with companies, as long as their teams, schools or the OHSAA logo were not included.
It would have prohibited student athletes from signing deals with companies that do not support education-based athletics, such as casinos.
Voting to change the bylaw started on May 1. In total, 817 Ohio high school principals each had one vote in the matter and 409 votes were required to change OHSAA bylaws. Ultimately, the proposal failed 538 to 254.
"If NIL is going to enter the Ohio interscholastic landscape, we want the schools to be the ones to make that determination," OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute said in a release. "Whatever we do moving forward, it will include discussion on this issue with our school administrators, Board of Directors, staff and leaders of other state high school athletic associations.”
Just last year, the NCAA adopted new, interim rules to allow all current and incoming athletes to profit from their own name, image and likeness. The policy is based on the current laws within whatever state the school is in.
You can learn more about NIL here.