The only thoughts Jenna Kopyar had on name, image and likeness regulations for most of the past year were of one of her best friends, who benefited almost immediately last summer when the NCAA allowed college athletes to monetize their talents to earn.
“I’m glad they passed it for college athletes. It’s an important thing because they can’t get real jobs, so it’s a chance for them to make money,” said Kopyar, a junior basketball standout at Dublin Coffman, referring to former Shamrocks star Jacy Sheldon, who, after two seasons with Ohio State’s women’s team, has a handful of endorsement deals. “I didn’t think about the possibility that it would come to high schools. I didn’t think that was an option for us.”
That could be the case later this month if a simple majority of the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s 817 member schools vote to enact NIL regulations for their athletes. Voting began May 1st and will run through May 15th, and if at least 409 principals vote yes, NIL will go into effect the next day.
Ohio would become the 10th state to allow NIL for high school athletes, alongside Alaska, California, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York and Utah.
The primary requirements would be:
•Advertisements or endorsements may not include a school’s name, mascot, or logo.
•Endorsements with companies that the OHSAA says “do not support the mission of education-based athletics” would be prohibited. The April 5 press release announcing the vote called alcohol, casinos, drugs, gambling and tobacco taboo.
• Money earned could not benefit athletics departments or teams.
These rules run in parallel with the college’s NIL-related laws, which were passed at the state level in June 2021.
“Like it or not, NIL is here for amateur athletes,” said Tim Stried, OHSAA communications director, stressing that the issue is being raised to forestall potential legal challenges. “Our schools will decide whether we want to have a say in shaping the language of the statutes. That’s what voting is for. If our schools vote no, our schools would say by a majority that NIL is not appropriate at the high school level and (then others) will fight it, most likely with pending court cases.
“We should be able to make money”
Brandi Garner was initially skeptical about the possibility of high school athletes capitalizing on her name, image and likeness because of what she described as “the sketchy side of the sport,” still skeptical about how the landscape might change. Garner maintains an open mind, aware that this is a conversation she likely would have had with two of her older children — Bexley Wallace, a redshirt junior women’s basketball player at Kent State, and Garner Wallace, a sophomore football player at Kent State Northwestern, who also starred in basketball and athletics at Pickerington Central – and could soon face.
Daughter Berry deserves Division I attention after a strong sophomore basketball season for the Tigers, and youngest daughter Blossom excelled in basketball and volleyball in middle school.
“My initial no was based on not liking the idea of kids growing up too fast. The sketchy side of athletes and athletes who may not have pure intentions (and) kids can have access to that much money,” Garner said. “How would it be used? Would kids get out of control? I have the feeling that the work ethic has fallen by the wayside. Will this lead to even more clout hunting as opposed to hard work and dream hunting?”
NILcollegeathletes.com listed 8,392 athletes who had at least one endorsement deal through May 2nd. Several area coaches and athletes agreed that the high school athletes most likely to be affected by NIL play high-profile sports like basketball and soccer.
“I don’t think a lot of companies are going to throw thousands of dollars at high school kids,” said Westerville North boys soccer coach Nate Hartnell. “We’re asking high school kids to invest a significant amount of time in a sport that almost all of them will not pursue after high school. They won’t have a chance to get a job during the season and they could pursue another sport with a lot of dedication while still trying to be a kid.
“If there’s an opportunity for them to have a company throw some money at them, fine.”
Coffman football coach Geron Stokes cited Centerville junior Gabe Cupps, an Indiana recruit and reigning Ohio Mr. Basketball, as a prime example of a player who would benefit from NIL. Cupps, who led Centerville to the 2021 Division I state championship and runner-up title last season, had 376,235 Instagram followers as of May 2, and has a 2019 video of him challenging LeBron James to a 3-point shootout more than 1.5 million views on YouTube.
Stokes is a longtime friend of Cupps’ father, Centerville coach Brook Cupps.
“[Gabe Cupps]was offered a lot of money and it would change a lot of things for him,” Stokes said. “I’m sure there are negative things, but (Cupps) is American and if we live in America we should be able to make money. If people offered you or me the money, we would take it.”
Sam Kaylor, who helped lead Olentangy’s boys’ volleyball team to last year’s Division II state finals and is now a field freshman at Rio Grande, said he has yet to take NIL opportunities but is in favor of high school athletes get this chance.
“I think it was only a matter of time before high school was treated the same as college,” Kaylor said. “Why shouldn’t only athletes benefit from similarity?”
“Let kids be kids and enjoy the sport”
Lori Kopyar, Jenna’s mother and Coffman’s assistant girls’ basketball coach, said issues beyond money fueled her concerns about NIL.
“I’m not sure if adding in the idea that they can make money off their image in high school necessarily helps relieve the pressure and strain on top athletes,” said Kopyar, who played basketball at Pickerington and Capital 1980s and whose daughter is a Division I recruit. “Personally, I don’t think we need to add more issues that athletes deal with and (could lead to) comparing themselves to others. … let kids be kids and enjoy sport for the love of sport and not push any harder to get a zero deal.”
Other area coaches are also concerned about the continued loss of the amateur aspect of college sports.
“The benefits of high school athletics have always been the learning about teamwork, discipline, and sacrifice for team improvement — the intangibles,” said Ray Corbett, Grandview Heights boys’ basketball coach. “Now it’s about financial benefits. I don’t see the value in it in any way.”
Hartley football coach Brad Burchfield believes NIL coming to OHSAA is more than either individual schools or athletes are willing to handle.
“These are children. They bear no resemblance, and the image of oneself develops. I think the people who have grandiose ideas about these things watch too much TV and read too much on the internet,” Burchfield said. “A kid in high school builds and makes a name for himself. That is the greatest and most important thing they will have.”
Possible penalties for NIL violations have not been specified, according to Stried. He said all likely penalties would be drawn from Rule 11 of the OHSAA, with options including game forfeiture, probation, suspension of eligibility and post-season tournament bans.
Enforcement would be left to individual counties.
“We’re already so busy with everything we have to do,” said Big Walnut athletic director Brian Shelton. “Speaking for myself, it’s too early to go in that direction (less than a year after colleges did). There are just too many unknowns with this kind of thing right now. There are many questions (and) many uncertainties.”
dpurpura@thisweeknews.com
@ThisWeekDave
Based on the numbers
1: Date the NIL Rules will go into effect if the OHSAA member schools approve the proposed regulations. Voting will take place May 1-15, and if approved by a simple majority, the regulations will come into effect on May 16.
9: States that have approved NIL regulations for high school athletes. These are Alaska, California, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York and Utah.
409: The number of “yes” votes required to enact NIL in Ohio from the 817 member universities.
1.4 Million: The reported value in dollars of a three-year name, image and likeness deal with GT Sports Marketing, signed by former Ohio State quarterback Quinn Ewers in August 2021. Ewers skipped his senior season at Southlake, Texas, Carroll high school to take advantage of NIL opportunities in Ohio, only to snap just two snaps with the Buckeyes last year and transfer to Texas in December.