Ohio Wants to Stop High School Athletes from Making Money

Ohio is considering a new law to stop high school athletes from making money off their name, image, and likeness (NIL). This comes after a recent vote by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) to allow these deals. The OHSAA's decision came after a judge blocked their previous rules on NIL. Now, Ohio is one of 45 states where high school athletes can earn money from their personal brand. But not everyone is happy about this change. State Representative Adam Bird plans to introduce a bill to ban NIL deals for high school athletes. He believes sports should focus on teaching life skills like discipline and teamwork, not on making money. Bird also worries that the pressure of these deals could harm students' mental health. He points to a study showing that suicide rates among college athletes have doubled over 20 years. Bird thinks that if athletes are talented enough to make money, they should do it outside of high school, like in professional leagues or the Olympics. Bird hopes to pass the bill by the end of June 2026, but the legislature won't meet until then. He believes the state legislature should decide this issue, not just the courts. The OHSAA's executive director, Doug Ute, said the courts have already made their decision on this matter.