NIL deals aren't coming to Virginia high school sports. They're already here.

RICHMOND — Ever since word starting getting out that the Virginia High School League was considering rules about NIL deals, there's been a lot of handwringing from both players and coaches, many saying it was the beginning of the end for high school sports.

NIL is short for Name, Image, and Likeness, and is a way athletes can profit off themselves by promoting items in return for money. NIL deals are prevalent in college sports after a Supreme Court ruling in 2021. Now it's coming to high school sports. Or, according to VHSL Executive Director Billy Haun, is already here.

Which is why, Wednesday afternoon, following a 32-2 vote by the VHSL executive committee to establish rules governing NIL deals, Haun held a press conference to explain what had just happened. One of the first things he pointed out was that the vote didn't allow NIL deals for high school athletes in the state, but simply provided rules to make sure athletes accepting such deals remained eligible to play.

"The VHSL policy is not a policy giving permission for NIL to happen," Haun said. "NIL is is already here. We already have teenagers, high school age students, who have been offered NIL deals."

Haun said he knows specifically of two high school athletes in Virginia who have signed deals. He fully expects more such deals to happen and the VHSL wanted to provide guidance to parents, students and schools about these deals.

"We did not pass a policy today to say 'Yes, you can do this. No, you can't do this,' because I don't feel the Virginia High School League has the authority to do that," Haun said. "What we can do is provide some guidance for our student athletes and for their parents and for their coaches that will help keep students eligible."

Some common type of NIL deals include commercials, product endorsements, personal appearances, autograph sessions, merchandise or apparel sales group licensing. Haun said the most common form of NIL deals in college, and likely high school, is through social media with athletes acting as a social media influencer. He said 79% of athletes with NIL deals involve social media.

The key, though, according to rules passed by the VHSL, is that if athletes engage in any of this they can't profit off of intellectual property of their schools or the VHSL, meaning that they can't use their school name, mascot, logo or uniform. They also can't use the VHSL's name or the name of the district or region in which they play.

Athletes are also prohibited from endorsing or promoting goods or services from an NIL partner during school-based team activities or events. A reporter asked Haun if the athlete could promote those while in class and not taking part in a team activity, for instance wearing a shirt with a logo on it during the school day. While not certain if that would be allowed or not, Haun said he felt like that would be OK. He said he'd check on the answer and get back to the reporter.

Haun doesn't expect this to be widespread, citing statistics that less than 10% of college athletes have NIL deals and experts believe that will be the case in high school as well.

Wilson Memorial boys basketball coach Jeremy Hartman doesn't think we'll see much of an impact from NIL deals in the Shenandoah Valley.

"NIL deals usually require the endorser to have an audience big enough to influence people to buy or use a product," he said. "I'm not sure our area athletes have that big of a presence to command such deals."

Haun declined to name the two athletes in Virginia that have NIL deals or where they live.

There was also concern from some that NIL deals could influence athletes to change schools. The rules passed by the VHSL specifically state schools and teams may not use NIL opportunities to incentivize enrollment at a school or membership on a team.

Even without that rule, Hartman didn't see that being an issue in this area either.

"Public schools still require that you show proof of residency in the school district before allowing admittance, so, a company would have to essentially provide enough money to a student-athlete for them to change school districts," he said. "I just don't see that being the case in our area."

Haun felt strongly that the executive committee's decision was important for the VHSL and member schools.

"I don't pretend to have all the answers but we will continue to work on this as we go along," he said. "But I do feel strongly, and I did share this with the executive committee, having this guidance is better than having no guidance."

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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: NIL deals aren't coming to Virginia high school sports. They're already here.