NIL coming to Florida? FHSAA requests public feedback

[Nulli Secundus]

Form:  Name, Image and Likeness Survey

[DarterBlue2]

The above is the logical conclusion to where sports, particularly football, it headed; like it or not (I will keep my opinion to myself), it's the path of least resistance. 

[Nulli Secundus]

19 minutes ago, DarterBlue2 said:

The above is the logical conclusion to where sports, particularly football, it headed; like it or not (I will keep my opinion to myself), it's the path of least resistance. 

You know we do things the hard way on FHSF!   Speak your mind @DarterBlue2!

[DarterBlue2]

6 hours ago, Nulli Secundus said:

You know we do things the hard way on FHSF!   Speak your mind @DarterBlue2!

To be honest, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I believe that it should be amateur at the high school level, on the other with open transfer season, there's an argument to be made for financial compensation.  The old pay for play concept. 

[THAT S--T WAS FUNNY]

Good luck to the high school coaches out there. Your gonna need it. Sheesh

[Longtime Observer]

29 minutes ago, THAT S--T WAS FUNNY said:

Good luck to the high school coaches out there. Your gonna need it. Sheesh

There will be players whose NIL package is bigger than the head coach's coaching stipend. Superstars may make more than the coach's TOTAL salary. And some of that compensation may come from boosters of the high school. It seems preposterous to say the least.

[DarterBlue2]

19 minutes ago, Longtime Observer said:

There will be players whose NIL package is bigger than the head coach's coaching stipend. Superstars may make more than the coach's TOTAL salary. And some of that compensation may come from boosters of the high school. It seems preposterous to say the least.

Would certainly turn the old college model on its head, wouldn't it?

[Longtime Observer]

2 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

Would certainly turn the old college model on its head, wouldn't it?

While it would generally be an awful development, one "problem" could be partly solved. If boosters are able to build "collectives" of some sort to offer enticements to players, new schools could emerge as elite. Schools with big, wealthy booster clubs might be able to attract major talent from across the state or even country. Maybe someone like Vero Beach or Niceville etc could put together impressive "NIL" deals that urban powerhouses with less financially generous booster clubs can't come up with. We could see kids moving from Dade/Broward up to Vero to get some big NIL package. Of course I'm just throwing out random ideas, and I don't know how plausible any of it really is. But, a smaller scale version of the college landscape seems possible if not likely. 

[THAT S--T WAS FUNNY]

I can't believe were even talking about this. The fact that this is even a possibility is disturbing. This will push a lot of good coaches out of the profession, which will allow "street agents" to take over more than they already have. 

[Longtime Observer]

15 minutes ago, THAT S--T WAS FUNNY said:

I can't believe were even talking about this. The fact that this is even a possibility is disturbing. This will push a lot of good coaches out of the profession, which will allow "street agents" to take over more than they already have. 

I agree 100%. You can't really get excited about supporting a "program" when all anyone has is whatever success their boosters/alumni etc can have in persuading teeenagers and their parents to move schools. It's pretty dumb. But, it's basically as dumb at the college level, with the only differences being players are over 18 and the money is much more. It's going to be grossly subpar pro football. 

[Longtime Observer]

IMO, the only way the game manages to sustain itself and have fan support with big crowds is to go to an "Open Division" playoff model where all of the top dogs face each other each and every week of the playoffs. A recruited up Lakeland vs. a recruited up Venice...as a first round playoff game would be compelling. The winner faces, say, Miami Columbus...in a second round game. The winner of that plays the winner of Chaminade-STA in a 3rd round game. Etc. Several rounds of mega games with mega powers-most/all of which may be more compelling than ANY of the playoff games in the formats we've had of late- would be neat.

[DarterBlue2]

4 hours ago, Longtime Observer said:

While it would generally be an awful development, one "problem" could be partly solved. If boosters are able to build "collectives" of some sort to offer enticements to players, new schools could emerge as elite. Schools with big, wealthy booster clubs might be able to attract major talent from across the state or even country. Maybe someone like Vero Beach or Niceville etc could put together impressive "NIL" deals that urban powerhouses with less financially generous booster clubs can't come up with. We could see kids moving from Dade/Broward up to Vero to get some big NIL package. Of course I'm just throwing out random ideas, and I don't know how plausible any of it really is. But, a smaller scale version of the college landscape seems possible if not likely. 

Some intriguing things could come out of this that would forever change the nature of high school sports. But, in a sense, it's the logical end game for where we are heading. Celebration in the Orlando metro statistical area may yet bag a football title! 

[THAT S--T WAS FUNNY]

9 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

Some intriguing things could come out of this that would forever change the nature of high school sports. But, in a sense, it's the logical end game for where we are heading. Celebration in the Orlando metro statistical area may yet bag a football title! 

Windemere may have something to say about that.

[Hwy17]

Given all the millions Hardee gets from Mosaic they could be the next super team. 

[Nulli Secundus]

On 1/21/2024 at 3:19 AM, DarterBlue2 said:

Some intriguing things could come out of this that would forever change the nature of high school sports. But, in a sense, it's the logical end game for where we are heading. Celebration in the Orlando metro statistical area may yet bag a football title! 

The only football title celebration Celebration will celebrate is their name.

[Manatee Magic]

On 1/21/2024 at 3:16 PM, Hwy17 said:

Given all the millions Hardee gets from Mosaic they could be the next super team. 

And they'll still get beat by Palmetto.

[Hwy17]

1 hour ago, Manatee Magic said:

And they'll still get beat by Palmetto.

You are aware we beat them 20 years straight 

[Trelle]

On 1/20/2024 at 9:54 PM, Longtime Observer said:

While it would generally be an awful development, one "problem" could be partly solved. If boosters are able to build "collectives" of some sort to offer enticements to players, new schools could emerge as elite. Schools with big, wealthy booster clubs might be able to attract major talent from across the state or even country. Maybe someone like Vero Beach or Niceville etc could put together impressive "NIL" deals that urban powerhouses with less financially generous booster clubs can't come up with. We could see kids moving from Dade/Broward up to Vero to get some big NIL package. Of course I'm just throwing out random ideas, and I don't know how plausible any of it really is. But, a smaller scale version of the college landscape seems possible if not likely. 

lol before I even read this post just going off the topic I was thinking to myself “Hey maybe something we could be good at up here” (Vero). If something like that would happen I do know our boosters have deep pockets. Hopefully though this doesn’t happen, the sport has already been messed with enough.

[Perspective]

Sadly, NIL is about to ruin high school football in Florida | Commentary

[Ray Icaza]

3 minutes ago, Perspective said:

Sadly, NIL is about to ruin high school football in Florida | Commentary

Tremendous travesty without a doubt.  I spoke about this possibility a couple of years ago when I initially joined this forum and sadly it is coming to fruition and I was hoping so much to be wrong. 

[gatorman-uf]

Is there even a continuous supply of money to keep NIL deals for high schoolers going, even at well-funded programs?

I mean most programs in Florida seem to be barely surviving as is, the cost of running a program (just talking the basics) seems to be increasing each year with requirements by the state and counties. Security, referees, costs of uniforms, helmets, medical gear, travel costs. We aren't seeing huge increases in attendance at these games. I can't imagine a well funded booster group turning around and saying, "well we got enough extra money to bring in a stud QB and 2 OL for 5K a piece." Instead of making sure that the basics and the just barely beyond basics are covered. Or maybe, I am just too broke to understand ever giving that much money away for anything that doesn't benefit me personally.

Also when (not if) NIL becomes a reality, can the FHSAA finally admit that a promotion/relegation would lesson the blow of things like NIL/transfers?

[Longtime Observer]

47 minutes ago, gatorman-uf said:

Is there even a continuous supply of money to keep NIL deals for high schoolers going, even at well-funded programs?

I mean most programs in Florida seem to be barely surviving as is, the cost of running a program (just talking the basics) seems to be increasing each year with requirements by the state and counties. Security, referees, costs of uniforms, helmets, medical gear, travel costs. We aren't seeing huge increases in attendance at these games. I can't imagine a well funded booster group turning around and saying, "well we got enough extra money to bring in a stud QB and 2 OL for 5K a piece." Instead of making sure that the basics and the just barely beyond basics are covered. Or maybe, I am just too broke to understand ever giving that much money away for anything that doesn't benefit me personally.

Also when (not if) NIL becomes a reality, can the FHSAA finally admit that a promotion/relegation would lesson the blow of things like NIL/transfers?

The pay scale will obviously be much lower, but could still be enough to be influential.

Perhaps most disturbingly, what figures to happen is a small number of elite, well-funded schools (or football academies) will be recruiting nationwide. Mega-wealthy programs, most of which are private and in large metro areas, will be able to come up with the money to get a few star players from anywhere. Of course, not every family will be willing to move. But, a not insignificant number will move. They're *already* moving for sports as is.

[Perspective]

I just don't see you can reconcile NIL, on the one hand, and recruiting, on the other hand, in high school sports.    

Colleges are allowed to recruit. It's a major part of whether a team/coach is successful.  And once a school has signaled its intent to recruit a particular player, the collective affiliated with that particular college or university can then step in and try to negotiate a NIL deal with the player being recruited.   Somewhat oversimplified, but I think that's accurate.

High schools are not allowed to recruit.   If anyone associated with a school (coach, parent, booster, etc.) offers/promises to do anything for a prospective transfer student to lure that student to their school, that's recruiting.  And, as the rules are currently written, that's illegal.  Similarly, if anyone (most likely a parent or booster) does anything for a particular player that isn't done for all other students, that's considered to be an impermissible benefit.  And that's also illegal. 

So, how do you re-write the rules to allow NIL without removing the "no recruiting" and "no impermissible benefits" sections of the rules?   Almost by definition, anyone that forms a collective or who personally signs someone to an NIL deal would be considered "a representative of the school’s athletic interests."   If you re-write all these rules to allow NIL, what will you be left with?   

[SportsFan]

13 hours ago, gatorman-uf said:

Is there even a continuous supply of money to keep NIL deals for high schoolers going, even at well-funded programs?

I mean most programs in Florida seem to be barely surviving as is, the cost of running a program (just talking the basics) seems to be increasing each year with requirements by the state and counties. Security, referees, costs of uniforms, helmets, medical gear, travel costs. We aren't seeing huge increases in attendance at these games. I can't imagine a well funded booster group turning around and saying, "well we got enough extra money to bring in a stud QB and 2 OL for 5K a piece." Instead of making sure that the basics and the just barely beyond basics are covered. Or maybe, I am just too broke to understand ever giving that much money away for anything that doesn't benefit me personally.

Also when (not if) NIL becomes a reality, can the FHSAA finally admit that a promotion/relegation would lesson the blow of things like NIL/transfers?

Well I imagine it would turn into boosters covering the costs 

So I guess schools like Bartram Trail and Ponte Vedra would become national powerhouses if a few boosters open their checkbooks 

[SportsFan]

45 minutes ago, Perspective said:

I just don't see you can reconcile NIL, on the one hand, and recruiting, on the other hand, in high school sports.    

Colleges are allowed to recruit. It's a major part of whether a team/coach is successful.  And once a school has signaled its intent to recruit a particular player, the collective affiliated with that particular college or university can then step in and try to negotiate a NIL deal with the player being recruited.   Somewhat oversimplified, but I think that's accurate.

High schools are not allowed to recruit.   If anyone associated with a school (coach, parent, booster, etc.) offers/promises to do anything for a prospective transfer student to lure that student to their school, that's recruiting.  And, as the rules are currently written, that's illegal.  Similarly, if anyone (most likely a parent or booster) does anything for a particular player that isn't done for all other students, that's considered to be an impermissible benefit.  And that's also illegal. 

So, how do you re-write the rules to allow NIL without removing the "no recruiting" and "no impermissible benefits" sections of the rules?   Almost by definition, anyone that forms a collective or who personally signs someone to an NIL deal would be considered "a representative of the school’s athletic interests."   If you re-write all these rules to allow NIL, what will you be left with?   

The problem is when the FHSAA can't really police recruiting it becomes Irrelevant

There are schools who have been told are recruiting and are even on the FHSAA radar because they know it but until a parent or player turns on the school they are getting away with it 

That brings me to this, if a tree falls in the woods and nobody is around does it make a sound? So if someone's recruiting and nobody can actually prove it to the FHSAA what's going to happen to them at all? NIL will just open up another can of worms and make it even more impossible to try and restrict it and that will be the problem we as a state are stuck with because politicians who know nothing about athletics are going to do whatever they want without giving a crap what chaos they create