High school athletes in Oregon can now strike endorsement deals that use their name, image and likeness. That’s after the Oregon School Activities Association recently changed its awards guidance.
The rules say students can’t promote things like gambling, firearms or alcohol and tobacco products. Compensation also can’t be used to recruit students to attend a certain college or university, nor can it be offered as a reward for a specific athletic achievement.
“It prohibits direct correlation — like, if you score 30 points this weekend in a basketball game, then we’ll give you ‘x’ amount of dollars,” OSAA Executive Director Peter Weber said.
Weber said Oregon is the 19th state to allow high schoolers to benefit from these deals.
“It felt like it was something that was coming and that we needed to clarify our policies,” he said. “And in the process, make sure people understood what was allowed and what was prohibited.”
Some athletes are already beginning to form deals following the OSAA’s new rules, including two Portland-area basketball players who signed last month with the firm Portland Gear, as reported by KOIN.
College athletes in Oregon have been able to reach name, image and likeness deals since last summer.
Peter Weber spoke to “Think Out Loud” host Dave Miller. Click play to listen to the full conversation: