High school NIL opportunities often arrive unexpectedly. 

A direct message. 
A local business offer. 
A “quick post for some free gear.” 

For parents, the first instinct is often positive: This seems like a great opportunity. But high school NIL is not casual influencer marketing — and it is not college NIL at a smaller scale. 

Parents are the primary risk managers in high school NIL. 

Before your child says yes to any NIL or Personal Branding Activity (PBA) opportunity, there are several critical things every family should understand. 

Why Parent Involvement Is Not Optional 

In Michigan, high school NIL activity operates under a framework commonly referred to by MHSAA as Personal Branding Activities (PBA). These activities are allowed — but only when they remain independent of the school and are handled responsibly. 

Students are minors. 
Schools cannot arrange or approve deals. 
Coaches cannot be involved. 

That leaves parents as the primary safeguard. 

If a deal goes wrong, eligibility risk falls on the student — and responsibility falls on the family. 

The Most Common Parent Misunderstandings 

Many NIL issues begin with reasonable assumptions that turn out to be risky. 

Common misunderstandings include: 

• “It’s just a small deal, so it doesn’t matter.” 
• “The school would stop it if it wasn’t allowed.” 
• “Free products don’t count as compensation.” 
• “This works like college NIL.” 
• “We can figure the details out later.”  

In high school NIL, details matter early. 

What Parents Should Clarify Before Saying Yes 

Before agreeing to any NIL opportunity, parents should clearly understand: 

Who is making the request 
Is this a legitimate business? An individual? A booster-connected entity? 

What is being asked 
How many posts, appearances, or promotions? Over what time period? 

What is being offered 
Cash, free products, discounts, or services all have value and should be documented. 

Where and when activity will occur 
Content should not be created during school hours, at practices, games, or using school facilities or uniforms. 

Whether performance is referenced 
Any compensation tied to playing time, statistics, wins, or awards is high risk. 

If any of these points are unclear, pause. 

School Involvement Is a Red Flag 

One of the clearest warning signs for parents is school involvement. 

Red flags include: 

• A sponsor asking a coach to “set it up” 
• Being told the school needs to “approve” the deal 
• Requests to film at school or in uniform 
• Pressure to keep the deal quiet from parents 
• High school NIL must remain independent of the school. If a deal depends on school involvement, it creates risk. 

Why Documentation Protects Your Child 

Parents often think documentation is “formal” or unnecessary for small opportunities. 

In reality, documentation protects: 

• the student 
• the family 
• the sponsor 
• the school

Clear documentation helps answer: 

• hat was agreed to? 
• What was delivered? 
• What compensation was provided? 
• When did the agreement start and end? 

Without documentation, misunderstandings escalate quickly. 

Disclosure Is Not Optional 

Michigan rules require student-athletes to disclose NIL/PBA agreements within seven (7) business days after finalizing an opportunity.

Parents should: 

• be aware of this requirement  
• allow time for disclosure 
• avoid last-minute or rushed arrangements 

Disclosure is not approval — it is a required step. 

The Risk of “Handshake Deals” and DMs 

Many high school NIL opportunities begin informally: 

• social media messages 
• verbal agreements 
• free products sent without clarity

Even informal arrangements can create obligations. 

Parents should treat every opportunity — no matter how small — as something that deserves clarity and documentation. 

A Simple Parent Rule of Thumb 

Before saying yes, ask: 

• Would I be comfortable explaining this to a school administrator if asked? 
• Is everything clear and documented? 
• Is the school completely outside of this? 
• Does this protect my child’s eligibility?  

If the answer to any of these is no, pause. 

Education Before Opportunity 

High school NIL can be navigated responsibly — but only when families slow down and understand the boundaries. 

Parents don’t need to become NIL experts. 
They do need clear, plain-English guidance. 

That’s why education comes first. 

At MiNIL, our focus is helping families understand what to look for before opportunity becomes risk. 

High school NIL can be navigated responsibly — but only when families slow down and understand the boundaries. 

Parents don’t need to become NIL experts. 
They do need clear, plain-English guidance. 

That’s why education comes first. 

At MiNIL, our focus is helping families understand what to look for before opportunity becomes risk. 

Categories 

• NIL Education 
• Parents 

Tags 

• High School NIL 
• Michigan NIL 
• Parents Guide 
• Student Athletes 
• NIL Rules