Name. Image. Likeness.
It’s all about a student-athlete’s legal right to control and profit from the commercial use of their own identity and personal brand, and since the NCAA changes its policy in 2021, headlines have been published and debates have ensued.
According to statistical information published by the New York Times earlier this year, top college football programs spend between $8 million and $55 million annually on total roster/NIL budgets, and this season universities such as Texas, Ohio State, and Oregon are spending nearly $50 million.
In comparison, West Virginia University’s athletic department, according to the school’s website, is currently spending as much $20.5 million on its football roster alone.
The state of California was first to allow NIL deals on the high school level, and by 2024, more than half of U.S. states have approved similar regulation. Today, that number is 46. Including Ohio and West Virginia.
“Without being specific to the school or the families, I do know that there are student-athletes that complete in OVAC-sanctioned competition who have agreed to NIL deals,” confirmed Dirk DeCoy, now in his eighth season at the top of the OVAC. “It is permitted for high school athletes to earn money through NIL agreements in both West Virginia and Ohio, so everything is on the up-and-up.
“There hasn’t been a need for the OVAC to get involved with anything connected to NIL agreements because it’s so new on the high school level,” he explained. “If that changes, we’ll definitely take a look at how the OVAC can get involved, but I am aware that every state has its own rules for high school athletics.”
According to information published in August 2025 by West Virginia Watch, high school and middle school athletes have been allowed to get paid for name, image and likeness deals since the state’s Secondary Schools Athletic Commission board approved its first NIL policy for student athletes in July 2025.
The news article reported that the state’s new policy sets general guidelines that will protect students from violating their eligibility under amateur athlete rules, and that each state is examined individually.
The West Virginia policy mandates that student-athletes “cannot engage in NIL activities to advertise for a number of products, including alcohol, cannabis, weapons, prescription drugs and more;” it prohibits “school employees, including coaches, from being involved in a student-athlete’s is of their NIL;” and students are prohibited from making any reference to their school or wearing their school’s logo when engaging in any NIL activity.
In Ohio, no pay-for-play deals, no school or OHSAA logo/mascot use, no school- or booster-arranged deals, and no endorsements for regulated products like alcohol, tobacco, or firearms, according to OHSAA rules. Agreements must be reported to the OHSAA within 14 days of signing, including a notarized Affirmation page signed by both the student and a parent.
“Right now, it’s just individual student-athletes,” DeCoy said. “And the OVAC puts on championships – that’s what we do – so anything involved with NIL has never been a part of our responsibilities. We do have our Varsity Board, and that is collection of our student-athletes that discuss current issues that they are encountering.
“Maybe the situation with NIL in our high schools is something they’ll discuss,” he said. “That’s up to the leadership. That’s their decision.”
Name on the Front
Gone are the days when fans followed a college recruit from the day he or she signed with a school’s program through their final game now that the NCAA approved a one-transfer-without-penalty portal in 2021, and then eliminated all restrictions on transfers in 2024.
So now, student-athletes on all levels of NCAA competition can jump from one institution to another based on the best deal possible.
“It’s my opinion that on the college level, it’s way out of control,” DeCoy said. “And I do think there needs to be actions taken to slow it down and take a good look at how it’s been working so the issues can be addressed. I know (former college football coach) Nick Saban has been discussing ways to get some equality into the NIL system.
“Is that possible? I don’t know at this point,” he said. “One thing is for sure – the NIL program on the college level has shown us all how much money is out there.”
DeCoy was one of many college sports fans who was leery of what could happen following the approvals of both the transfer portal and NIL.
“It all started with a lawsuit that concerned the universities making so much from certain sports like football and the NCAA said , ‘OK, we’ll step back and we’ll let it happen.’ They took their hands off of it, and here we are; this is what we have and I don’t think it’s a good thing.” DeCoy said. “Even in high school, I know it’s intended to help the kids who it benefits. They’re the product, from a business standpoint.
“So, if they want to put in a lot of effort and they reap the awards, that’s good for them,” he said. “I don’t fear it because, if the kids aren’t making the money, someone else is, but I do believe there needs to be more guardrails.”
DeCoy knows it’s likely more student-athletes from OVAC-member schools will sign NIL deals, and that’s why he hopes parents, family members, and friends are willing to serve as members of support systems.
“Safety first; that’s the advice I would suggest to the student-athletes and their families. Always safety first,” the OVAC’s executive director said. “If your child is getting recruiting, just make sure they want to take care of them in all the right ways because there’s more than sports in life. ‘Go with your gut feeling’ is something I’ve always believed.
“I always hope the student-athlete has a great network of family and friends around them who really care of about the young person,” DeCoy added. “If you pay attention to the system and read the articles about how the NIL is evolving, you’ll see that some people are learning hard lessons.”
