High School NIL: What Parents Need to Know Before Signing Anything

Name, image, and likeness deals used to be a college conversation. Now a brand can approach a high school athlete, and that conversation often lands on a parent's kitchen table before it reaches her. The rules are different from one state to the next, the contracts involve a minor, and the person who ends up legally responsible is often you. Here's what to know before you sign anything.

The Rules Depend on Your State

There is no single national rule for high school NIL. The NFHS notes that "the current NIL rules related to high school athletes are established state to state," which can mean 51 different sets of rules across the states and D.C. (nfhs.org). When the NFHS published its list in October 2023, 30 states plus D.C. allowed it (nfhs.org), and the number has grown quickly since. Today nearly every state allows some form of it, with rules that vary considerably, so check your state athletic association's current policy and your school's before agreeing to anything.

Common limits include the following:

• No school branding. Athletes generally can't use the school's name, uniform, or mascot as part of what they market (nfhs.org).
• Restricted categories. Alcohol, tobacco, gambling, firearms, and CBD are commonly prohibited (opensponsorship.com).
• No pay for performance or school choice. NCAA policy says NIL can't be used as an inducement to enroll at a specific school or as a substitute for pay for athletics performance (ncaa.org), so a deal shouldn't be tied to winning, scoring, or choosing a particular school.

What Deals Typically Look Like

High school NIL deals typically range from $100 to $5,000 per partnership, with most landing between $250 and $1,500 (opensponsorship.com). Many local partnerships start with free product or a small payment, which is a sensible way to begin. Be cautious of anything that promises far more than that, especially if it asks for money from you.

Why Contracts Involving a Minor Are Different

One law firm's commentary explains that minors can typically disaffirm, or walk away from, a contract before turning 18 or within a reasonable time afterward, which is why brands require a parent or guardian to sign. That signature makes the agreement enforceable, and it also means you take on legal responsibility: if a term is breached, the company can pursue you for damages (mrhugheslaw.com). This is general commentary, not legal advice, and it's worth having an attorney look at anything significant.

The same source flags three red flags worth watching for:

• Long exclusivity for modest pay. Locking a student-athlete out of other opportunities for years in exchange for a small payment is rarely a good trade.
• Vague content rights. Language granting rights to use her name, image, and likeness "forever, anywhere, for any purpose" should stop you cold.
• Vague pay. "Exposure" isn't payment. A contract should say exactly what she'll be paid and when.

A Hub's proposal tools exist specifically to close these gaps: deliverables, compensation, partnership type, duration, and content usage rights are all structured fields a brand fills in, not free text it can leave vague or quietly omit.

Questions to Ask Before You Sign

1. Does my state association allow this kind of deal, and does our school need to approve it?
2. What exactly is she being asked to do, and by when?
3. What will she be paid, in what form, and when?
4. How long does the agreement last, and can either side end it?
5. Is she barred from working with similar brands, and for how long?
6. How can the brand use her content, where, and for how long?
7. Who is responsible for disclosing the partnership on her posts? The FTC requires clear disclosure of a material connection, with responsibility resting on both the influencer and the brand (ftc.gov).
8. What are the tax implications? We cover this in Sponsorship Tax Liability and NCAA Eligibility.

How Athlete Hubs Helps With This

A Hub gives brands a professional, controlled place to learn about your athlete, so the first conversation doesn't happen in a direct message. You hold the account, and inquiries arrive through a form where the brand has to verify its email before you see it. From there:

1. Review each inquiry together, and report anything inappropriate for review.
2. If you want to move forward, set the terms yourself: deliverables, compensation, partnership type, duration, and content usage rights.
3. The brand can accept, decline, or counter using structured fields, so nobody rewrites your terms in free text.
4. Once you sign, the terms are locked, and the brand then countersigns.

FundraisHER doesn't provide legal advice or review contracts, so treat this as a way to keep the process organized, not a substitute for a lawyer or your state association's rules.

The Bottom Line

High school NIL can be a good opportunity for a young athlete, and most deals are small and simple. What protects her is a parent who knows the state rules, reads the contract, and won't sign anything vague. Take your time, ask the questions above, and keep the decision in your hands.