By Dr. Steve Gallon III
As the 2024-2025 school year begins, the sight of new uniforms, technology devices, books, and teachers and staff is accompanied by the aura and enthusiasm of interscholastic sports. One of the staples of high school sports in Miami-Dade County, and throughout the state and nation, is football. As the school year and season begin, the spirit, motivation, and quite frankly, the innocence of a sport historically rooted in camaraderie, discipline, dedication, hard work, and loyalty, have been eroded by the pursuit of corporate adulation, fame, finances, and self-interest.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has always been committed to students’ participation in interscholastic sports and recognizes athletics as a mainstay of school districts, schools, and, more importantly, the learning and life experiences of students. In fact, research has shown that athletics, specifically at the high school level, provide a vehicle that improves students’ citizenship, sportsmanship, self-discipline, physical and emotional wellness, and their grade point averages.
Recently, things have changed.
Last year, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) voted unanimously to approve a policy allowing high school athletes to profit from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) under certain circumstances. Florida is not the first high school state association to adopt college-style NIL rules—it’s the 36th, and arguably the most impactful state to join the fray, given the number of quality athletes within its borders. California, Georgia, and Louisiana are among the states permitting NIL activities, and the fear of losing elite athletes to other states was one of the stated reasons for adopting the NIL policy.
Florida was also among the first states to pass a law permitting NIL rules for its college athletes, passing its law in 2020. The move triggered a groundswell that forced the NCAA to adopt a national NIL policy, which went into effect on July 1, 2021.
With Florida now joining the fray for its high school athletes, Alabama, Ohio, and Texas remain the biggest states that still officially bar high school athletes from making money off their status as athletes.
Florida’s new bylaw states that athletes and their parents must conduct NIL discussions separate from the school and the FHSAA, and they cannot use school logos or other products in public. Additionally, student-athletes must negotiate the agreement themselves, and it cannot involve anything related to the school. If a student transfers midseason, they cannot secure another NIL agreement for that school year.
However, despite the few guardrails established by the FHSAA, the “Pandora’s box” of vulnerability and exploitation looms over many student-athletes and their families.
While the launch of NIL rights for Florida high school athletes presents unprecedented opportunities, it also brings inherent risks and challenges. M-DCPS, along with parents and members of the community, must work collaboratively to ensure that schools and athletes adopt proactive strategies to maximize opportunities while mitigating potential risks. From educating student-athletes and their parents on NIL regulations to implementing compliance protocols at the district and school levels, proactive measures are essential to navigate this new era of high school sports successfully. Miami-Dade County Public Schools is taking such measures.
In the meantime, the competitive landscape of high school sports will continue to evolve—or devolve in terms of values that promote and place a premium on camaraderie, discipline, dedication, hard work, and loyalty. The inevitable pursuit of corporate adulation, fame, finances, and self-interest by some student-athletes and their families will mean that they no longer play just for moments under Friday Night Lights, but for money to be earned through Florida’s adoption of NIL for high school students.
Dr. Steve Gallon III is the District 1 School Board Member for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the nation’s 3rd largest district. He has also served as a Superintendent, district administrator, and School principal.
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