Marysville schools brief board on new OHSAA NIL rules and guardrails

Superintendent Dr. Zach Howard briefed the Marysville Exempted Village School District Board of Education on a new Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) bylaw that permits student-athletes to earn compensation for certain uses of their name, image and likeness (NIL).

Dr. Howard said the bylaw allows third-party compensation for activities such as appearances, social media promotions, endorsements, advertising and licensing for merchandise, while emphasizing that "this is not a pay-for-play" arrangement and that recruiting inducements remain prohibited. "Our priorities are students' well-being, eligibility protection, and transparency," he said.

The superintendent advised that schools, coaches and booster organizations must avoid using NIL as a recruiting tool and stressed that student athletes must remain amateurs and comply with OHSAA eligibility rules. He encouraged families to review any NIL agreements carefully and to "consider consulting a trusted advisor" before signing.

Board member (Mister Smith) sought clarification on whether athletes can market themselves but not district marks. He said, "they can market their name, but not Marysville Monarchs," and warned that booster purchases and team-issued uniforms create a dividing line between school-owned apparel and items an athlete might use in a private NIL arrangement.

Dr. Howard said the district will use FinalForms and standard athletic-department parent meetings to communicate guidance, and he raised the possibility of registering the district's trademark and logos to "protect the student athletes" and district marks. He also noted the district has already shared an NIL-resources email with families and pointed attendees to OHSAA's NIL resources online.

The board did not take any formal action on trademark registration during the meeting. The district said it will continue to update families and athletic staff as more guidance or examples emerge.