Apparently 33 states now allow High schoolers to sign NIL deals. Only surprising ones not allowing it are Florida and Texas considering the amount of D1 talent that comes from there.
https://swimswam.com/33-states-now-allowing-high-school-student-athletes...
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Basically, gambling on high school athletes. Probably not great for psyche of the students involved.
Hypothetical, how do you feel if a university collective signed a HS recruit to deal? Or is it already happening?
One would assume that this is how this would work.
Not really. Like the article indicates, there are many Olympic level athletes in high schools that cannot get a sponsorship and the change in amateurism rules on the state level benefits those athletes.
What is not clear to me, and one issue that as far as I know is not yet exploited, is whether University-related collectives are sponsoring athletes during the recruiting phase. It's one thing to back-door promise a HS athlete X dollars if they were on the team, but it's another to start payments when recruiting begins. And, while clearly using payments as a lure would be a violation of the NCAA, everything will be done in the dark.
And if this becomes a major force in recruiting, how does that affect recruiting athletes in one state that can receive NIL and other that do not.
Common sense suggest market forces will probably not allow this to go too crazy, but the again, SEC/B1G football will do anything to win. So, I guess let the NIL dollars fly on that recruit that may or may not sign the NLI.
Ahh fuck it. Winning football games is the most important thing in America. In college, free rides to world class schools, television exposure, per diem, food, board, books wasn't fucking enough. So I say fuck it- have a system that identifies sports prospects when they are 12-13 years old, and use tax dollars to pay them money. They are entitled to it. Just get it over with and pay every promising kid with tax dollars so they get what they deserve for maybe being good at football one day. Seems fair. It would prevent scum like OSU, Bama, etc from cheating perhaps.
I like the embrace of socialism for the purpose of winning national championships!
My TKPC membership paid for itself reading this subthread. *Insert Gold, Jerry, Gold gif*
He's not wrong. We're all paying for it anyway.
His way would be more honest.
I don't really care about the recruiting advantages it brings or anything like that. What I don't like is that this feels like crossing a line between childhood and adulthood. There are plenty of examples of teenagers who went pro years before adulthood, but this is different - you have one league where some kids are playing for money and learning to be athlete influencers, and other kids who are just doing it for fun.
It's a complicated issue, and I don't have the time to think through and articulate my feelings about it, but it does feel a little gross to me.
High schoolers entitled to money in the United States: Football Players, Basketball Players.... High schoolers not entitled to money in the United States: Valedictorians, NASA interns, Eagle Scouts, STEM standouts, any other fucking top student.
why wouldn't they be entitled to money in an NIL sense? If Wheaties wants to pay a valedictorian X dollars, what prevents them from doing so? Is NIL only limited to athletes? I honestly don't know the rules, and likely it differs from state to state.
Because Wheaties wouldn't do that. Why? because valedictorians- JUST LIKE HS football players - don't make Wheaties money. HS football programs don't turn a profit from selling hot dogs. Not close. They have literally no value beyond being associated with the school on Friday nights. They don't bring in revenue beyond expenses- not close. HS coaches get paid peanuts and nobody but the players and parents know their names. Why would Wheaties or any company do do that? they wouldn't. But this is America- where Johnny baller derserves to get paid because one day (not at all fucking likely) he is going to the NBA and NFL. And heaven knows those 2 leagues are much more important than anything in fucking life. We have done our youth such a disservice with this culture. Look no further than former NBA players broke and on the streets and the insane % of bankrupt NFL players.... but let's pay Johnny HS QB money for his name- which nobody knows or gives a fuck about unless we glorify it to help Saban win more games. Fucking Joke.
OK, then that's different than what you said. And yes I agree in that regard, these systems will be exploited because people will pay ridiculous amounts of money on some 5-star recruit in order to get their college team another championship. And even if state laws and rules were good and noble to prevent this exploitation, there will be no enforcement. I 100% agree with you there.
This is your best take. Ever.
You're absolutely right.
Unfortunately, the folks with the big money and SEC connections got there first, and have already planted their flag, while buying up all the influence.
So, in short, amateurism lost out to corporate interests. Just like everything else eventually does. The sad part is that they ultimately do it with everyone else's money. Because that's any good system works.
Maybe some folks in public service will be able to maintain some level of separation, but who are we kidding? They've already got taxpayers subsidizing sports arenas, with private interests getting the profits.
Similarly to college, this is legitimizing much of what is happening anyway.
First, it is already allowed in the majority of states.
So, for the other states it is 'leveling the playing field.' And you can't convince me that top level athletes in South Carolina, Florida, Alabama and other non-NIL states (Texas!) are not getting perks already. So for the lesser athletes, this allows opportunities.
Second, it is difficult to earn any meaningful $ while participating in a high school sport and completing school work-similar argument as to what was happening in college pre-NIL.
High school football, for example has become a year round participatory commitment with gym requirements, camps and 7-on-7 tourneys. If you've had a kid play AAU, club sports in the 'off season' you understand the time, $ commitment required. (I can vouch from experience..it's a VERY different beast from when I came along)
If you don't play club, AAU seasons, your chance of making a high school team, and actually playing, getting any attention is very small.
I'm not a big fan-take me back to the old days of true seasonal sports..... But, the world has turned: some kids are getting perks anyway; having other kids having opportunities as well and potentially regulating at some level is the way of the future.
Seasonal sports was where it was at. You go to play with so many different people and compete against them in multiple sports so sometimes you were bested in one but could get payback in another.
And I swam year round too
LMAO- this is the problem. HS football is a year round life or death meat grinder. Why? serious question, why? School pride? selling popcorn? the homecoming game? Why? there is no valid reason. None. 99% of those players are not going to play major D1 sports. So why is it so important that they get paid for their NIL? NIL of what? a non existent market?
They're attempting a speed run of killing the golden goose, huh
Man I remember winning open tournaments in HS and having to turn down the cash prizes because of the NCAA amateurism rules. - This still might not be allowed but its weird to think that highschoolers are getting paid to play sports.
Probably would have to turn them down still but might be able to sign a deal where the Tourney pays you equivalent to the cash prize for using your image winning in future advertisements, brochures, fundraising etc.
So fucking sad. One day america woke up and high school fucking football players are entitled to large sums of money now. Nah, there won't be any unintended consequences to this and surrrreeee high schools are about academics and not the fucking Friday night game- where 99% of the kids aren't college football material. They ARE entitled to money though- entitled. In America. Fucking disgrace. Next are middle school flag footballers that show promise. Lord football- go get that bag 13 year old- go get it. Fucking disgrace. The average NFL career is 3 years. This is such a great thing for a sophisticated society- sports are more important than learning a marketable skill in life. Or Math or science. Fuck all of this. The entitlement is so fucking absurd. I play high school football, thus you shall pay me money- the vast vast chances are I will suck in college and never do anything, but deposit money in my account please. While teachers have to buy their own supplies. Fucking farce.
Man you are on a roll today my man. I love it.
imagine the bag (that he's entitled to apparently) Spencer Rattler would have gotten in HS...wow- he's the shit. Pay him - you must. Oh wait, what? He's not at all a pro prospect and can't win in the SEC? oh shit. oops.
p r e a c h
This shit right fucking here. Our priorities are so beyond fucked that it's hard to see that we, as a nation, ever rebound.
So are you saying that high school kids should have their marketability artificially limited? Should companies not be allowed to advertise how they wish? I'd love to out law a bunch of shit because I think they're dumb but this is America where we can do dumb shit also as we have the capital to back it up
What marketability? What? HS football teams lose money, have to sell popcorn for sweat suits and nobody televises their games? What market?
It's not that people are 'entitled' to money, but if it's there for the taking, might as well chase it 🤷♂️
I won't fight you on this. People's priorities are evidenced by their spending. People care more about football than education. It's a problem.
Is an NIL deal like a contract? Don't you have to be 18 to sign a contract? A lot of 18 year old's don't turn 18 until their senior year. Thus making most of this a moot point.
I'm sure there could be some sort of conservatorship worked out for them...
Damnit, we've been blindsided by the SEC again already!!
parent/legal guardian will sign on the underage's behalf. It's pretty common, think of any child actor, or singer. The Beibs wasn't putting out platinum records and going on world tours without getting paid.
I had not used the word 'entitled' with these athletes; I think it's being used incorrectly.
Ex. I'm feel 'entitled' to get paid for working today. Joe feels 'entitled' to my TKP subscription money. The nice lady that cleans my home weekly feels 'entitled' to $ from me when the work's completed.
I would insert another word: earn.
I 'earned' money from working today. Joe 'earned' my support from his hard work running TKP. The nice lady 'earned' $ from cleaning my home.
I think a more appropriate usage of 'entitled' would be: I am 'entitled" to have young athletes train/practice/perform for my pleasure at their risk with no monetary compensation so I can spend time talking on a message board about it.
I am 'entitled' to use message board at my whim without compensating Joe etal for their efforts.
Etc.