High school sports: NYSPHSAA allows state high school athletes to profit from accomplishments
Oct. 21—The New York State Public High School Athletic Association has opened the door to state high school athletes earning revenue off their name and athletic accomplishments.
The NYSPHSAA approved on Wednesday changes to its amateur rule that allows students to benefit from their name, image and likeness in certain situations.
The NYSPHSAA Executive Committee decision follows the NCAA adopting an NIL policy this past summer that permits athletes to benefit from their achievements through endorsements, business deals or being compensated for speaking engagements or autographs.
The state organization stipulated that NIL arrangements are only allowed if that athlete's school is not involved, stating they can "participate in commercial endorsements provided there is no school team, school, section or NYSPHSAA affiliation."
Athletes who do receive money, gifts or compensation in connection with activities involving the student's school team, school, section or the NYSPHAA — excluding scholarships — will forfeit their amateur status. That includes students appearing in the uniform of his or her school or section.
The announced change is a revision of the NYSPHAA's amateur rule that forbade students from accepting money or compensation when competing in school events.
The NYSPHAA said it made the revision in part because "it has become increasing(ly) more difficult to differentiate between a student capitalizing on their athletic fame and the student being a social media influencer."
The committee approved the revision at its quarterly meeting in Saratoga Springs.
Other decisions announced Wednesday included freezing membership dues and NYSPHSAA Championship ticket prices for the 2022-23 school year.
The committee also approved boys and girls bowling teams conducting virtual matches with section and league approval for 2021-22.
A proposal to rotate at-large selections in tennis to fill byes and draws in the NYSPHSAA championships was also approved for 2021-26 for girls and 2022-27 for boys.
Regional rotations were approved for boys volleyball (2022-24) and girls volleyball (2022-25).
Schools are also now allowed to enter boys and girls swimming relays without submitting individual athlete names until the day of the state meet.
