Beginning in November 2025, OHSAA member schools approved a measure allowing Ohio student-athletes to enter into agreements and receive compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL). This includes payments for appearances, licensing, social media content, endorsements, and other forms of personal branding linked to their public recognition.
This NIL provision is one of 11 bylaws governing student eligibility. Under Bylaw 4-1-1, every student must continue to meet all requirements of Bylaw 4 to remain eligible for interscholastic athletics. Notably, these rules still do not permit students to be paid to play the sport in which they compete as amateurs. Bylaw 5 (Awards/Gifts/Prizes) also remains unchanged: student-athletes may accept awards, gifts, or prizes based on their participation or finish in a competition only if (a) the total value does not exceed $500 per event and (b) the award is not cash.
The updated NIL language further outlines reporting procedures and necessary limitations to help students avoid inadvertently violating OHSAA recruiting or amateurism regulations. Please review the resources below to learn more about the OHSAA NIL/Personal Branding Rights Regulations.
Learn more about NIL at the OHSAA website here:
https://www.ohsaa.org/Eligibility/NIL-Resource-Center
