Texas high school athletes over 17 years of age can now sign name, image and likeness deals under a new law signed Thursday by Gov. Greg Abbott, but it doesn't pave the way for them to earn compensation.
The legislation aligns the state with the upcoming House v. NCAA settlement that allows colleges to directly pay athletes.
Before signing name, image and likeness deals, athletes over 17 must first be enrolled in college as the University Interscholastic League (UIL), the high school governing body, still prohibits its student-athletes from profiting on NIL.
"Unless a prospective student athlete younger than 17 years of age is enrolled at an institution of higher education, an individual, corporate entity, or other organization, including an institution to which this section applies, may not enter into an arrangement relating to the athlete's name, image, or likeness with the athlete or with an individual related to the athlete by consanguinity or affinity," the law states.
Under UIL governance, Texas is among a handful of states that doesn't allow NIL benefits for its student-athletes. More than 40 other governing bodies around the country do.
The House v. NCAA settlement is expected to provide $2.6 billion in back payments to college athletes who missed out on NIL from 2016 to when payments were legalized in 2021. Additionally, the settlement allows universities to use revenue for athletes' NIL from broadcasts of games and other fiscal avenues.
It changes the way NIL money is doled out to college players. Prior, student-athletes could only partner with third-party entities. Now, schools can provide up to $20.5 million for their athletes and be able to use that as a recruiting hook for high school athletes.
