CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Editor's Note: Efforts for high school athletes in North Carolina to profit off their name, image and likeness are on hold. The State Board of Education notified the NCHSAA on June 8 that it does not have specific legislative authority that would allow it to add NIL rules for the upcoming school year.
North Carolina athletes could soon have a bit of extra cash.
Let's connect the dots.
Saturday would have marked the first day of a new policy that could impact more than 180,000 student-athletes statewide.
For the first time, students would be able to profit from their name and likeness, but kids can't just start making money immediately.
Before entering into any agreement, student-athletes will first have to complete an education course but on by a nationwide high school group.
There are also some restrictions. For example, students cannot be paid directly by schools, and they can't promote things like gambling, alcohol and vaping.
All in all, if they strike it right, athletes could walk away with thousands of dollars. The Senate moved quickly to pass a bill to strip the NCHSAA of many powers, including allowing athletes to profit from NIL. NCHSAA officials said it could be months before NIL is allowed in the state.
On June 8, NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker issued a memo stating the following:
"We have been told by the State Board legal staff that, without specific legislative authority for emergency rule-making, the State Board is unable to act on adding a NIL provision to proposed eligibility rules in a way that would make them effective for the upcoming school year. The standard rule-making process is lengthy and generally takes six months to a year to complete. The State Board is currently considering a proposed rule on many eligibility issues, which will likely include consideration of NIL issues, but again, without specific legislative authority, this cannot be done quickly. "
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