NC State Senate overrides NCHSAA high school NIL policy

The vote went straight down party lines, with 30 republicans voting yes and 20 democrats voting no

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) – Hours after the NCHSAA voted 15-3 to allow high school athletes to remain eligible and retain ‘amateur status’ to participate in North Carolina high school sports if they were to sign an NIL deal – a name, image, or likeness event such as signing autographs, advertisements, endorsements, and social media posts – the NC state senate stepped in and stripped the NCHSAA of the power to make that decision for the state.

It came as an amendment to Senate Bill 636, which attempts to strip the NCHSAA of other powers and move them to the state superintendent and Board of Education. The vote went straight down party lines, with 30 republicans voting yes and 20 democrats voting no.

The NCHSAA policy opened the door for high school athletes in North Carolina to get paid as early as July 1st. Now, it seems it’s no longer on the table.

27 other state athletic associations allow student-athletes in high school to profit off of NIL. Virginia voted Wednesday to become the 28th. North Carolina would have been the 29th. The only other state bordering North Carolina to already have high school NIL rules in place is Tennessee.

According to the NCHSAA, data they gathered indicated the average high school NIL deal was between $60-$120. WSOC’s DeShawn Brown reported that high school coaches have told her that players are already leaving the state for NIL opportunities. In addition, the amended bill would allow the state superintendent to withdraw from the four-year memorandum of understanding with the NCHSAA with six months of notice.