The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athleric Association has passed some new, interesting legislaton, according to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
The high school organization approved a final policy for high school athletes to profit from their name, image nad likeness and gives them the ability to obtain commerical endorsement and earn money
from promotional activities, including social media presence.
The PIAA wants to ensure star athletes stay and compete for schools in the state and aren’t lured to other states with the promise of making big money off their talents. There are some restricitons. Athletes
can’t make any reference to the PIAA, member school or team name. They also can’t wear their school uniform. School, booster clubs, coaches and alumni can;t negotiate or pay for name, image and likeness
deals. No athlete can endore adult entertiainement sites, alcohol, casinos and gambling, Tobacco and electronic smoking devices, opioids and prescrription drugs, controled substances, weapons firearms or ammunition.
Students must notify a principal or AD within 72 hours of entering into an agreement.
Another rule states a student athlete gets only six years of eliglibility after sixth grade, whether an athlete plays those six years or not. The new rule from prevent athletes from redshirting– that is repeating seventh or eight grade, not playing
for a year and still have four years of high school eligiblity.
Finally, there is the competitive balance rule that will stay as it is. Under the current rule, a football team that goes far in post season two years in arow and acculmulates six success poits and has at least three transfers, gets bumped up one classifcation. Likelwise, a basketball team gets bumped up six success points and one transfer. .