The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Board of Directors will revisit Name, Image and Likeness regulations at next month’s regularly scheduled meeting.
The DIAA board tabled the issue - which would allow high school student-athletes to monetize their NIL while keeping eligibility - until its March 21 meeting.
It’s the second straight month the board tabled consideration of NIL regulations for First State high school athletes. This latest delay pushes any resolution until the summer since it would still need to go before the State Board of Education.
One reason for the delay is not wanting to move forward until more research is done on possible federal legislation that’s been introduced.
Red Clay’s Superintendent Dorrell Green is on the board
"Are we losing student athletes to the neighboring states? Probably so, if we don't figure it out. Are there inequities? Yes, there are. There are inequities in our interscholastic sports right now without NIL,” said Green. “So I think further discussion, further evaluation, further analysis, further implications on federal law and state law makes sense for us to thoroughly investigate it."
DIAA Executive Director David Baylor adds whatever the state implements will have to be constantly monitored and tweaked as unanticipated issues arise.
Others on the board admitted to being terrified of NIL, saying it’s ruining college sports and amateur athletics as a whole.
Baylor warns that doing nothing could prompt legal challenges.
"Will it eventually end up in court at our level like it did for the NCAA if we don't do something? I think that's a distinct possibility, but not being a lawyer I'm not sure," said Baylor.
Baylor adds the state needs to get in front of the issue so a legal challenge doesn’t force DIAA to work with rules they don’t like.
Neighboring states have already passed NIL regulations, putting Delaware at a disadvantage should some student-athletes move to those states to capitalize on NIL opportunities.
