West Virginia high school athletes can now benefit from NIL

West Virginia is the latest state to allow high school athletes to benefit from name, image and likeness payments. According to a report by WVVA.com, the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) approved an NIL policy in July that went into effect on Monday. Now high school and middle school athletes around the Mountain State can begin to profit from NIL deals without any loss of eligibility.

The new policy, though, comes with safeguards like many states around the country has in place.

“No one associated with or acting at the direction of a member school, such as booster clubs, alumni or collectives, may use the promise of NIL opportunities to entice student athletes to transfer or attend their school,” the new WVSSAC policy reads.

The association’s new policy also prohibits student-athletes from referencing their high school in NIL materials, such as a team logo or wearing a uniform.

“They have to keep it independent of their school and athletic life,” WVSSAC Executive Director Wayne Ryan said via a report. “Honestly, they have received notoriety for that, but they can’t use that as part of their advertisement.” 

Advocacy for pushing the envelope on NIL in West Virginia was approached by state attorney Paul Saluja, who met with state lawmakers to educate them regarding the significance of NIL moving forward in the state.

“Some of these student athletes, they will do well in high school, they’ll do well at the collegiate level, but they’re not going to make it at the pro level,” Saluja said via a report. “This at least allows them the opportunity to go ahead and at least, if not secure their future, but get a good head start on securing their future.”

Currently around 40 states allow NIL deals for high school athletes, with West Virginia having been one of the last few holdouts in the country. 

Among the states that have continued to prohibit NIL are Alabama, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.