NC high school athletes can profit off name, image, likeness beginning July 1st

CHAPEL HILL, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors completed its spring meeting Wednesday and voted to approve several items that will impact student athletes across the state.

Effective July 1st, student athletes may engage in certain commercial activities to receive tangible benefits. Under the new guidelines, student-athletes may publicize their name, image and likeness through appearances, athlete-owned brands, autographs, camps and clinics, group licensing, in-kind deals, instruction, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), product endorsements, promotional activities and social media.

Student-athletes are also prohibited from affiliating their NIL with certain products including adult entertainment, alcohol, cannabis products, controlled substances, firearms and ammunition, gambling, prescription pharmaceuticals and tobacco, vaping or other nicotine related products.

“There were two words that were talked about often by our board as we considered the NIL policy and even prior to that as we had a committee working to bring a policy forward for consideration; those two words were opportunity and training,” NCHSAA President Rob Jackson said. “Certainly, we had a conversation around wanting to ensure our students have the opportunity to utilize their name, image and likeness because it is theirs and we don’t want to deny students opportunities before them.”

The NCHSAA will continue to provide information on this new rule through its website.