Sophie Halm
eSomethin Staff
A temporary restraining order has been placed on Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA)’s rules regarding the signing of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, which would allow profit to be made by high school athletes and rid them of their amateur status.
A lawsuit was filed against OHSAA by the class of 2027’s top wide receiver, Jamier Brown from Huber Heights Wayne. Brown had the opportunity to earn more than $100,000 in NIL deals. He chose to sue OHSAA for $100,000.
On October 20, 2025, the first hearing took place. Franklin County’s Judge Jaiza Page permitted the temporary restraining order, which will last 45 days. In this time, OHSAA’s NIL rules will not be imposed on the athletes.
Columbus’s NBC4 reported that Judge Page said, “The court does find that granting this will allow for expanded opportunities for high school students and youth across the state of Ohio. Additionally, allowing this temporary restraining order will align this state’s policies for high school students with a majority of the other states across the country.”
Before the lawsuit, Ohio was one of six state associations in the country that did not allow NIL deals. If the official emergency referendum outcome is yes, they will then be in tandem with the majority of the country.
There was a vote over the implementation of NIL deals in May of 2022, but the proposal failed by about a 70% to 30% ratio. OHSAA athletic directors planned to rewrite the language of the proposal and vote again in May of 2026. However, this new lawsuit will likely speed up this timeline.
The athletic director for Perrysburg High School (PHS), Chuck Jaco, explained everything will go smoothly “as long as the language created still honors at its core of what high school athletics should be while still balancing individuals’ rights.”
NIL deals are a new sight for Perrysburg athletes.
Although the number of high school athletes that will be offered NIL deal offers is low, there are still chances and concerns that have to be taken into consideration when implementing them into a team sport.
Madison Watkins, division I 2025 state semifinalist and team captain of the PHS tennis team, said, “I think NIL deals are good for the students because it allows—thinking outside of the money aspect—it allows students to be able to be more ‘out there,’ especially for college recruiting. It can be more of an advantage to be able to be scouted out or seeked out through that kind of way.”
The class of 2025 had a couple of athletes that likely would have qualified for NIL deals during their successful high school careers had they been allowed.
Former PHS softball player, Hayley Griggs, who is currently playing division I softball at Florida State University, said, “I had a mishap with NIL when I was in high school, but looking back on it I would not have taken it if I was in that situation again. NIL brings a great deal of pressure that doesn’t need to be added to an athlete, especially at the high school level. …I think NIL can be very rewarding, but should never be the reason someone loves the game that they play.”
The implementation of NIL also poses a new challenge: jealousy amongst teammates. Watkins said she thinks NIL would cause a disturbance amongst the team because jealousy is prominent.
Because the amount of high school athletes that would likely receive NIL deals is low, Griggs said, “Especially in high school, I think team dynamics would be separated based on NIL deals. Jealousy would play a big role and I think would drive conflict in a team at that level.”
There are many aspects that go into the implementation of NIL deals at the high school level. According to The Columbus Dispatch, OHSAA stated that NIL deals are becoming “inevitable,” in a recent press release. Because of this, OHSAA is partnering with an NIL consulting firm that educates parents and athletes on NIL nationwide. Doug Ute, the executive director of OHSAA said, “By partnering with Influential Athlete, we’re ensuring that school leaders and athletic directors are fully informed and prepared to make the best decisions for their athletes and communities,” The Columbus Dispatch reported.
When the introduction of NIL deals is officiated, high school athletics will now lose its amateur title. The youth leagues leading up to high school sports will be the final stages of amateur athletics before money gets involved.
Until December 4th, 2025, NIL deals are temporarily permitted, unifying Ohio with the majority of the United States on this matter.
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