GARDEN CITY, NY — Ohio’s vote to allow high school athletes to profit from their names, images and likenesses (NIL) positions the state as the latest to embrace a rapidly expanding national trend — and could immediately affect how families plan for college expenses, according to sports law attorney Andrew Sack.
Ohio became the 45th state to permit high school athletes to earn NIL income after the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) approved the change in a Nov. 21 emergency vote. The measure passed 447–121, with 247 schools abstaining.
Sack, a Long Island–based attorney who advises athletes and their families on NIL issues, says the decision reflects “how quickly the NIL landscape is evolving — and how high the financial stakes have become for student-athletes.”

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The vote came just weeks after a lawsuit filed by Jasmine Brown, who argued that her son — Jamier Brown, a Wayne High School wide receiver verbally committed to Ohio State — lost out on more than $100,000 in potential NIL deals under the previous ban. A judge later issued a temporary restraining order preventing OHSAA from enforcing that ban, increasing pressure on the association to act.

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Sack says the new policy could dramatically ease financial strain on families, especially when athletic scholarships aren’t guaranteed.
“This decision isn’t just about endorsements — it’s about access to higher education,” Sack said. “If a student-athlete doesn’t land a Division I scholarship, NIL income earned in high school can be the difference between attending their dream school or being priced out. Ohio’s move acknowledges that reality.”
He adds that as states modernize NIL policies, athletes are gaining more control over their financial futures at a younger age.
“For many families, this is real money that can offset tuition, housing, and other college costs. Ohio’s decision is a recognition that the old model wasn’t keeping up with today’s marketplace.”
For more information, call Mr. Sack at (516) 526-3319 or The Law Offices of Steven Mitchell Sack at (917) 371-8000.

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*Photo of Mr. Sack is attached.