CIAC athletes permitted to profit from name, image and likeness
High school student-athletes competing at CIAC schools can now monetize their name, image and likeness while maintaining their eligibility.
The language change to include NIL under the Amateur Athletic Guidelines (Section 4.5.A.) of the CIAC Handbook was approved by the Board of Control of the state's governing body for high school sports.
CIAC Executive Director Glenn Lungarini said the change was “passed for immediate implementation on a provisional basis” in the winter and has since been approved to be “fully implemented.” He added since it was not a bylaw change, approval was only needed by the BOC, not the entire legislative body of school principals.
Connecticut is one of 10 states to permit the use of NIL. Alaska, California, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, New Jersey and Utah also permit the use of NIL, according to Opendorse, an NIL company which provides technology to the athlete endorsement industry. Braly Keller of Opendorse first reported the CIAC's change.
UConn is among the colleges that uses Opendorse to manage NIL activity.
The college sports landscape has changed over the past year since the NCAA Board of Governors approved a policy that allows student-athletes to sign endorsement deals, hire an agent, and otherwise profit off themselves. The NCAA's policy shift came as everal states, including Connecticut, passed NIL laws.
High school students at CIAC schools will have similar opportunities, though expected to be on a much lesser scale and with some restrictions.
A student-athlete may profit off the use of their own name, image and likeness, and be represented by an attorney or agent, subject to compliance with the CIAC's policy. Student athletes will be allowed to partake in commercial endorsements, promotional activities, social media presence and product or service advertisements.
“Student-athletes are prohibited from making any reference to, and will not otherwise use or authorize others to use the logos, insignia, or identifying marks of, a member school, the CIAC, and/or any CIAC or member school event, game or championship when engaging in any NIL activity.”
College athletes in Connecticut were prevented from using school marks and branding under the state law passed last year. But state lawmakers, at the urging of UConn, passed a bill this year that allows athletes to use school marks and the legislation was signed into law the Gov. Ned Lamont last month.
Student-athletes at CIAC schools will also not be permitted to endorse or promote any third-party entities, goods or services during any CIAC school team activities, nor will they be permitted to wear the apparel of, or display the logo, insignia or identifying mark of an NIL partner during CIAC school activities.
So for example, a student-athlete could be compensated to appear in an advertisement for a local restaurant, and/or for promoting that restaurant on their social media account, abiding by restrictions such as mentioning the name of or appearing in apparel with the school's logo.
Student-athletes are also prohibited from engaging in NIL activities involving adult entertainment products or services; alcohol, tobacco, and nicotine products; cannabis products; controlled dangerous substances; prescription pharmaceuticals; weapons, firearms or ammunition or gambling, including sports betting, the lottery and betting in connection with video games, online games and mobile devices.
Opendorse noted Connecticut joins Kansas as the only states to outline prohibited products and services.