IN High School Student Athletes Personal Branding Activities

Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) board of directors approved "Personal Branding Activities" (PBA) for high school student-athletes, allowing them to make money on their name, image, or likeness beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.

In recent years, college athletes have been able to be compensated for the use of their name, image, or likeness in various media and community settings. Now, Indiana will allow the same thing for high school student-athletes, but with many more rules and regulations. Here's everything you need to know about the rules and how Indiana high school student athletes can earn money.

IHSAA Personal Branding Activities

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, your Indiana high school student athlete can benefit from their social media brand, personal appearances, and endorsements that do not involve their school. Student athletes can also provide non-athletic services like tutoring or youth sports coaching.

Likewise, schools cannot use Personal Branding Activities to recruit student athletes to attend their school. Student athletes also cannot accept benefits from Personal Branding Activities that are affiliated with or benefit their school.

Again, there are a lot more rules to follow compared to the NCAA NIL program. So, here are some of the activities that Hoosier high school athletes need to know about the Personal Branding Activities with the IHSAA

Allowable PBA Activities Include:

Student-athletes can build and monetize their brand via social media, personal appearance, and endorsements unrelated to their school sport.
Student-athletes can offer tutoring, personal training, or youth sports coaching for reasonable compensation.
Student-athletes can engage in PBA activities that do not represent Washington High School or involve performing athletic services for the school.

Prohibited Activities That Will Result in Ineligibility Include:

No School Affiliation: Student-athletes cannot use school uniforms, facilities, or property in their branding efforts
Notification: Student-athletes must notify their athletic director in writing within 48 hours of signing a deal
Restrictions: Deals cannot promote products related to gambling, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, dangerous items (guns/weapons), or sexually explicit material.
Recruitment Restrictions: PBA deals cannot be used to entice a student to transfer to another high school.

My daughter is a student athlete at Boonville High School, and the Athletic Director recently shared a couple of helpful fliers that better explain how student-athletes can work through potential opportunities in Indiana.