Member schools of OHSAA vote down Name, Image and Likeness proposal

Member schools of the Ohio High School Athletic Association voted on 14 proposed revisions to the OHSAA Constitution and Bylaws recently, including one on Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) that is similar to what the NCAA approved last June.

The results of the voting were announced Tuesday morning in a statement for the OHSAA. While 12 of the 14 proposed revisions passed, the NIL proposal failed by a margin of 538 to 254, with 792 of the 817 member schools casting a vote.

“Every year, the referendum voting process shows that our member schools have a voice in this democratic process,” OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute said in a statement. “Our office was very pleased with the discussion and insights our schools expressed this spring as we met with them about each of the 14 proposals. If NIL is going to enter the Ohio interscholastic landscape, we want the schools to be the ones to make that determination. Whatever we do moving forward, it will include discussion on this issue with our school administrators, Board of Directors, staff and leaders of other state high school athletic associations.”

The NIL proposal would have allowed student-athletes to sign endorsement deals as long as the logos of their team, school and/or the OHSAA were not used. The endorsements also would not have been permitted to happen on school property or in school uniform. 

Had the NIL proposal passed, there also would have been restrictions to the type of companies allowed to offer endorsements to student-athletes, with companies such as casinos, gambling, alcohol, drugs and tobacco prohibited from participating. 

By rejecting the proposal, Ohio’s student-athletes remain unable to sign endorsement deals without losing their amateur status.

ISSUE 12B: Bylaw 4-10, Amateurism (Addition of Name Image and Licensing Regulations)

This proposed addition would have permitted student-athletes to sign endorsement agreements so long as their teams, schools and/or the OHSAA were not being represented within those endorsements and provided there were no endorsements with companies that do not support the mission of education-based athletics (casinos, gambling, alcohol, drugs, tobacco).

Failed 538 to 254 (21 abstained)