First group NIL deal announced in Bradley County
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) – A group of high school athletes have gained access to a unique opportunity.
Name, Image and Likeness Deals (NIL) have given the ability for athletes to secure endorsement opportunities that once were banned in collegiate sports.
Last year, the TSSAA, passed a rule that allows high school students to partake in these deals as well.
(Courtesy: Wholesale Carpet Sales and Flooring)
Some individual student-athletes have been jumping onboard, but one local business owner has unveiled what he says is the first of its kind of a deal.
Wholesale Carpet Sales and Flooring on Lee Highway in Cleveland have unveiled the first group NIL deal with high school athletes in our area.
The CEO and Owner of Wholesale Carpet, Bartlee Norton, said, “As a business owner you’re always looking for opportunities to be able to market in a way that you can relate to your customers, right, and what better way can you relate to customers than with high school athletes?”
The athletes are five girl’s basketball players being referred to as the “Fab Five of Bradley County.”
TSSAA rules stipulate that any promotion of a business by a student-athlete cannot include any reference to the school they attend or play for.
They are also not allowed to mention any accomplishments or accolades at their school while promoting a business.
In the promos released by Wholesale Carpet, the Fab Five are wearing generic black jerseys with no reference to their school.
A violation of this rule is a full year suspension in the sport referenced.
Norton said, “We set on a journey, tried to do our research very well, to make sure that we can put them on a platform in a positive manner, that doesn’t distract or put them in a position where it would be negative, but we want this experience to be a positive experience.”
This announcement comes as the national debate over NIL intensifies.
Multiple prominent figures in college football, including Alabama football coach Nick Saban, traveled to Washington today to lobby Congress for federal regulations on NIL deals.
So far discussions on state high school NIL deals have not come up yet on a national level.
The future uncertainty in the rules does not scare Norton away from committing to these deals.
Norton said, “There’s always going to be a first, a first person that’s going to try do something that’s never before, and you want to make sure that if you’re the first, you’ve tried to dot every i and cross every t and you know what you’re doing.”
Back in Bradley County, Norton believes this is the beginning of great opportunities for high school student-athletes.
Norton said, “To utilize what they are able to do and show what they’re able to do and show others hey, you should take a chance on them also. I want to encourage other businesses to take a chance on these kids, get to know these kids, know the kids that influence your community positively, and let’s see what we can do for them.”
The TSSAA has resources online for any high school athlete to better understand the rules including a free online class explaining the rules.
The Fab Five’s first teaser promos have been released on Wholesale Carpet’s social media pages.
