Published: Mar. 11, 2025 at 6:07 PM CDT|Updated: 17 hours ago
(KBTX) - Texas House representatives Benjamin Bumgarner (D-63) and David Lowe (D-91) have both filed bills this legislative session that would allow Texas high school athletes to start monetizing their name, image and likeness (NIL).
NIL deals have been in the headlines for the past few years after the NCAA allowed collegiate athletes to share in the profits made from their NIL starting back in 2021. Now, the conversation has shifted to whether or not high school athletes should have the same opportunity.
Many states have passed legislation allowing high school athletes to monetize their NIL, but Texas actively bans high schoolers from doing so.
Texas House Rep. Bumgarner filed House Bill 2211 and Rep. Lowe filed HB 3224, both relating to the compensation of students participating in the UIL.
There’s always been talk of Peak Oil, well I think we’re about to reach Peak Sports.
It’s bad enough we have to listen to athletes whining about more money or owners threatening to relocate their team, now we’re gonna have High School athletes transferring schools because a booster group is offering them more money.
I’m ready to do away with any rules regarding pay, transfers, eligibility, etc. Cradle to grave your football journey is a free for all. That’s where it’s headed, no reason to slow roll it.
While I understand why, I think it’s bad for pros to be paid like they are, and for society at large that they are. It is inherently deforming of character (especially collectively) and of the integrity of the sports and their place in society. School sports are not sports for their own sake, so treating them like pros is even worse.
Now we want to do that with people who aren’t legally autonomous or permitted many other major life decisions? How many child actors have to have their lives wrecked before we have a sufficient cautionary tale for other fields?
Why not? Colleges would be investing in future prospects.
That said with many fans already losing interest in college sports why not go ahead and do the same in high school.
Following proper intent of NIL, I think is great. If the local pizza place wants to pay the local star QB to be in an ad for their shop, that is good.
NIL used for play or getting players to transfer districts is bad. That is not NIL intent.
The more worrisome part:
Why are legislative hours and time spent on this? This is especially true when limiting it to a very few players that are 18 as they should not be 18 until later in their senior year. Should be almost no players still in the fall sport while 18.
The most worrisome part: How many 18 year old football players are there. This should be time spent working on getting them educated, not encouraging them to fail so they can be a year older when they play in order to get NIL. Get them educated and out of school.
This leads me to believe more players could even intentionally fail to get another year as a player getting paid while waiting for a slot to open in college as those are also getting smaller in number.
NIL was supposed to be used for a player likeness but realistically how many ads you see around town of people who have NIL deals as I know some who have and their featured nowhere
Quickly turned to pay to play and that’s what this is already
Those same characters will legally mess up the high school game already but it’s more to it as you gotta get them to establish residency legally if you want them playing somewhere specifically and then if not until their 18 what real value an NIL deal has if they turn 18 after football season but the hype is building way before that
