NIL Policy and High School Athletes in Georgia.

On Monday, October 2, the Georgia High School Athletic Association (GHSA) passed a Name, Image, and Likeness bill for High School athletes in the state of Georgia. This new ruling, in similar capacity to the NCAA’s policy, will allow High School athletes to profit off their name and earn financial compensation without the potential loss of athletic eligibility.

With a 66-9 vote in favor of the new bill, the state of Georgia becomes the 30th state in the United States to allow High school students to receive financial gain for the their own likeness.

Understandably so there are a multitude of questions and concerns that are raised when it comes to such a rules passing. What are the potential benefits of this outcome, what are the positives, how will this impact the overall future of High school athletics in the state of Georgia.

Many argue the policy presents itself as an opportunity for students to make money in hopes of improving for personal reasons, such as aiding in family situation or in advancing in college.

Just as important are the possible negative outcomes this policy can have on high school students, as involving potentially big financial earnings with teenagers can easily provoke harmful situations.

This isn’t the first time headlines have surrounded youth athletics and financial compensation, dating back to 2018 when various stories reported on the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and its infamous scandal high school athletes receiving funneled payments from major apparel brands.

Another area this deal could impact is the recruiting process going forward for these high school athletes, as Georgia’s NIL policy will surely be an added tactic for player recruiting by college coaches.

What affects do you believe the NIL’s policy will haven on Georgia high school athletes ?