After Florida and Georgia, Alabama is set to consider NIL in high school sports

After Florida and Georgia, Alabama's lawmakers are in the race to legalise NIL deals for their high school athletes. NIL stands for Name, Image and Likeness that an athlete can leverage to gain endorsements and brand deals, boosting their financial capacity. Alabama constitutes one of the nine states where high school NIL deals are not authorized yet.

The House Bill 489 had been assigned to the House of Economic Development and Tourism committee, and the public hearing took place on Tuesday.

Hall-Tech Sports, which regularly provided updates on the developments taking place in Alabama's high school circuit, shared a post on X saying the same.

"At the last minute...a public hearing will be held today at 12:30pm in Montgomery..for all the supporters, concerned parents & coaches...please be in attendance for the hearing on HB489 by @RepJeremyGray."

The other states where NIL is not authorised at the high school level include: Hawaii, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri Montana, South Dakota, Texas and West Virginia. If the legislature ends on a positive note, the law might get enacted on October 1, 2025.

What is House Bill 489, pertaining to Alabama's HS NIL discourse?

The bill was introduced on April 1, 2025, and was reviewed in a public hearing on Tuesday. Although a similar effort to bring the NIL factor in Alabama's high schools was taken by Representative Jeremy Grey last year, it didn't get much momentum.

Sponsored by Rep. Grey, House Bill 489 established legal guidelines on how high school athletes can benefit from Name, Image and Likeness factors.

This is the latest development regarding authorising legal status to NIL deals in the high school circuit. In 2021, the NCAA introduced new laws, allowing student-athletes to earn money through endorsements. But it maintained that the students do not commit to 'pay-for-play,' provided that the parents or guardians seek aid regarding the potential legal and financial implications of such deals.

However, the misuse of such legislation, opting to 'pay-for-play' is much feared. In February, On3's Chad Simmons alleged that five-star QB Justus Terry's flip from the Bulldogs to the Texas Longhorns was a result of "straight-up better NIL package." To which, Terry issued a statement refuting the allegation.

Even Class of 2026 hooper Jerzy Robinson has acknowledged NIL consideration in her potential college prospects.

"I'm not choosing a college solely based on NIL, but that's obviously a very good benefit that I'm interested in. I want to make sure it's 100% well-rounded," Robinson stated, per On3.

At the same time, a couple of instances show otherwise. Last month, Thompson High School's QB Cam Pritchet refused a $7,50,000 NIL deal, which mandated him to move to another state. Likewise, in 2024, QB Trent Seaborn had turned down a seven-figure deal from a trading card company.