WIAA members vote down proposal allowing NIL deals for high school athletes

 

WALES, Wis. (CBS 58) -- School athletic directors from across Wisconsin rejected a proposal Wednesday that would have allowed high school athletes to profit off their name, image or likeness in business deals commonly known as "NIL."

The vote happened in Stevens Point at the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA), and the final vote was 219 to 170 against allowing high school NIL deals.

Such agreements have become commonplace in college sports over the past couple of years, and 31 states currently allow NIL deals for high school athletes.

South Milwaukee High School Athletic Director Ante Udovic said he voted no Wednesday even though agrees with allowing high school students to capitalize on NIL.

Udovic said it's because he's still unclear on some of the restrictions; for instance, the language of the proposal states people "associated with a school" could not pay athletes for their NIL. That includes alumni, and Udovic said he worried people who hadn't donated to the school in years might not able to fund an NIL deal because some might consider that an improper inducement for the athlete to stay enrolled there.

"These alumni want to help the school, but they also want to help the athletes," he said. "And we just need to make we get all our ducks in a row, and I think that was one of the big hesitations."

Udovic also questioned whether there could be confusion over language that bans students from wearing clothes bearing their school or team's name in promotional materials. He said that question came up during a call the WIAA had with athletic directors earlier this week.

"Somebody asked a really great question: What happens if the kid just has Rocket colors on it? Does that apply?" Udovic said. "And that's unknown."

Ryan Mangan, activities and athletic director at Arrowhead High School, said he supported the proposal because of the opportunities it'd provide athletes. Mangan said unlike high-profile college NIL deals, students wouldn't make much money endorsing businesses, but they could start a side enterprise.

"A specific skills camp in your particular sport that you could run and be able to benefit from doing that," he said.

Kettle Moraine Athletic Director Ryan Tomczyk, who voted in favor of the proposal, also mentioned skills camps as an opportunity for high school athletes. He said such camps would also aid students by giving lessons in responsibility and financial literacy.

"When they have to pay taxes on what they're doing, when they have to reserve facilities. They have to do all these things that a small business has gotta do within the community that they're gonna exist [in]," Tomczyk said. "I think it's a good thing on that level."

Still, Tomczyk acknowledged there were considers from his peers across the state, particularly in small towns. He said it was fair to question whether limitations on alumni involvement would put smaller communities at a disadvantage.

"If you're in the Madison area, the Milwaukee area, you have a lot more businesses around you versus a smaller area," Tomczyk said.

Regardless of how they voted Wednesday, athletic directors agreed on one thing: NIL isn't going anywhere, and it's all but certain to eventually come to Wisconsin high schools.

"NIL needs to come, unfortunately in my opinion, but it's gonna come," Jeremy Schlitz, athletic director of the Madison Metropolitan School District, said during Wednesday's meeting. 

When that happens is unclear. Mangan said he wasn't sure whether it'll pass next year but was confident it will come up again. Udovic, however, said he would wager "a lot" that enough wrinkles will get ironed out for athletic directors to approve NIL next spring.

"The train is on the tracks," he said. "So we're gonna have to do it as some point."