Seminole County Middle High School is not affiliated with NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) clubs, nor does it support student involvement. Money given to NIL Clubs DOES NOT go to the school or booster club, nor does the school or booster club regulate it. Any contributions or involvement by individuals associated with the school or booster club in NIL activities could result in student-athletes becoming ineligible. It may also lead to our teams losing the right to compete in GHSA playoff games. The GHSA Board of Trustees will meet on July 18th to discuss an amendment of the GHSA Bylaws, which pertains to the state’s policy on NIL. If approved, student-athletes from GHSA member schools will be forbidden from being a “member of” or “receiving compensation or any other benefit from a Collective of NIL Club”. Seminole County Schools will abide by GHSA policy regarding this matter. Please read the NIL Warning to Schools below for further explanation.
TO ALL MEMBER GHSA SCHOOLS
The GHSA has been made aware that many students of member schools
have been contacted by creators of "NIL Clubs" inviting them to join the “Club"
which is specific to their school and team activity. Students joining the "Club"
for that school's team are then allowed to post content on an online portal which
is made available to "supporters" who pay to view the content. The money paid
to view the content is then held by the club creator, who keeps a percentage
thereof, and then distributes the balance to the students posting the content.
The GHSA considers participation in such NIL Clubs to be a potential
violation of the GHSA NIL policy set for in Appendix N of the GHSA
Constitution and Bylaws and GHSA member schools should immediately notify
their students that joining such an NIL Club could have serious consequences to
their eligibility to compete or continue to compete in GHSA activities as well as
to member schools' opportunity to participate in GHSA sponsored post season
GHSA events.
The posting by any student of apparel of their school or the GHSA,
equipment bearing the name, mascots or logos of their school or the GHSA,
game footage, or other intellectual property of the GHSA or its member schools
would be a violation of GHSA NIL rules resulting in potential loss of eligibility
to compete.
If any NIL Club supporter, who is connected, directly or indirectly to the
student's school, either as an employee, member of a booster club or other
booster (as defined by GHSA ByLaw 1.73) pays to view the posted content, such
action could be found to be a violation of GHSA ByLaws Sections 1.70, 1.80 and
1.90 affecting not only the student's eligibility, but also their teams ability to
participate in post season GHSA events.
The potential for lost eligibility by students participating in NIL Clubs is
magnified as participating students have no control over who pays to view their
content, and the status and intent of the supporter in doing so. The GHSA
intends to fully investigate violations of and to enforce its NIL Rules which may
result in forfeiture of contests, fines and loss of eligibility.
Member schools with students joining NIL Clubs should consider the
potential consequences of allowing its team members to participate in NIL Clubs
and be prepared to preapprove and then closely monitor all "supporters" of the
clubs paying to view the content to make sure the "supporters" are not directly
or indirectly connected to their school or booster clubs, as well as to preapprove
and monitor all postings on the portal by their team members to make sure no
content is posted that violates GHSA NIL rules.