WIAA Members Says No To NIL Deals For Prep Athletes

By: Melo Williams

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA)members held its annual meeting in Stevens Point, WI with having to vote on the the hottest topic in prep and college sports on the agenda, should NIL deals be allowed in the state of Wisconsin for prep athletes?

With a 219 to 170 vote, the WIAA members voted no to the proposal to allow players in high-school to earn money from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).

The proposal stated that student-athletes can’t endorse products or activities in adult-targeted categories, such as gambling, alcohol, tobacco, or firearms. They couldn’t be compensated based on their athletic performance, or “pay to play.” Students can take NIL opportunities as long as there’s no association with their school, conference, team, or the WIAA.

NIL deals are allowed for high-school athletes in 33 states, not including Wisconsin. The laws are different in every state and and each state governs itself with the state’s high-school sports association.

Last year the WIAA members voted no to a shot clock proposal saying the costs of adding shot clocks at schools and securing workers to operate the clocks during games have been cited as reasons for not adding them.

It’s likely new proposal’s for NIL and a shot clock will be written up with a change in the language for NIL and a plan to cover costs for shot clocks.

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