Some states have approved NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) rights for high school students on a limited basis. Mississippi is not one of them.
Mississippi High School Activities Association executive director Rickey Neaves said the issue has been discussed by the organization's executive committee. “We are not approving it at any level. We feel like high school students are amateur athletes. We do not want to jeopardize their amateur status in any sport. We will leave that to the colleges. They're too young to be making decisions like that.”
Louisiana is the only southern state allowing NIL rights. The Louisiana High School Athletic Association released a position statement clarifying that current amateurism rules do not prohibit NIL activities or jeopardize a student's eligibility.
Other states allowing some form of rights are Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota. Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota and Utah.
