You read that correctly! For those who don’t know what the MSHAA is, it is the Michigan High School Athletic Association. They agreed to a deal to allow student athletes in HIGH SCHOOL to receive NIL.
For those who aren’t familiar, it stands for Name, Image, and Likeness, something the collegiate level has just adopted. It allows college athletes to make a living off their name. It can be compared to free agency in pro sports. Anyway, the state of Michigan decided it would be a good idea to extend the opportunity to underage high school kids.
Issues Regarding NIL in High School
First of all, I am all for NIL in collegiate sports. I have no issue with a young adult athlete earning a living while in college. If we are being honest with ourselves, it was happening way before it was legalized. How many times do I have to reference Blue Chips? At least these “kids” are adults!
Now we are opening up NIL deals for high school KIDS? They call it the PBA, and no were not talking “Turkeys” and gutters. It stands for Personal Branding Activity. Although they can’t use the schools’ mascots, uniforms, or intellectual property, they can sign autographs, make personal appearances, use social media, model, and conduct camps.
What I really need is an autograph from a high school athlete! Shaking my damn head! This is ridiculous! What happened to the days of working at the local grocery store or movie theater as a teen? For me, it was McDonald’s, and my first day was my fifteenth birthday.
There is a reason why you can’t join the military before eighteen or why there are age requirements for certain positions in the workforce. First of all, it’s the education. Let’s start paying high school kids serious NIL money and see how they spend it. Not being financially educated and the level of maturity a teenager has, this can only end well.
They have no restrictions on how much these kids can make, but do you know who will really push them? The parents! Do you think little Johnny is going to be negotiating a deal with “Big Will’s Benz and Beamers” dealership to have an autograph signing? Little Johnny isn’t going to be talking to “Big Will” himself about how he can bring in more people than the ape spinning a sign. It will be Johnny’s greedy ass dad looking for his meal ticket.
These are still kids, yet we will be treating them like college and pro athletes. NIL and school of choice, what’s next? Getting traded to your rival during Algebra? I’m sorry, Dylan, you can’t answer what X equals; you’ve been dealt to Chippewa Valley. The hall monitor will escort you to the bus right away. We will contact your parents!
Final Thoughts
Look, with all that said, I have a nephew in high school who is a phenomenal pitcher, and I hope he can benefit from this. Do I still think it’s ridiculous? Yes, sorry, kid. We can’t expect a kid to be mature enough to handle NIL money. I love sports as much as the next guy and love to see athletic phenomena come through in their respective sports.
Can’t we let kids be kids without the pressure of sports? You’re talking about the top 1 percent to go to college to play, and then the top 1% of that make the pros! Make the kids get real jobs to earn a living, like we used to, if we wanted a few extra bucks. This is a slippery slope. Soon enough, we will be going to scout little Gerald, the Tiger Cub prodigy, who won the last three boxcar derbies.
