As Name, Image and Likeness deals permeate their way through college athletics, the first-time wide NIL deal at the high school level has been struck.
Southern California powerhouse St. John Bosco has entered a team-wide deal with a "sports performance and technology company," for whom Bosco is a client.
Terms are believed to be in the three figures where, in exchange for the non-life-changing money, players will post photographs of themselves wearing the company's T-shirts on their various social media accounts.
Bosco already has a relationship with the company, using its product in their weight room, so it seems both the company and the school are embracing the deal for the novelty of it.
But, still, with California laws preventing school administration from brokering deals and the small-dollar amounts unlikely to draw the interest of professional, reputable agents, as NIL deals begin to proliferate high school athletics, the only vetting a process the typical high schooler will have available to him is he and his parents reading through the contract. At that point, it will be inevitable that a 15- or 16-year-old child enters into a deal to represent a product he doesn't fully understand or with entities who do not fulfill their obligations.
“Not one parent has reached out to us with concerns or questions as to what this is about. The way they’re approaching it is that it’s a small job,” Bosco head coach Jason Negro told USA Today. "The kids are being paid for a service to be an influencer and talk about it in a positive light. They’re not getting rich off it, but this isn’t a gimmick. It’s basic and straightforward.
"As a high school football coach, this is just another layer of information I'm going to have to learn and be knowledgable in to be able to educate our young men as they come through,” Negro said. “Just as an example, we’re implementing a financial literacy course to help them deal with that and understand how to manage money and things like that."
Located in the Los Angeles suburb of Bellflower, Bosco is one of the premier programs in all of high school football. The Braves claim three California state championships, two national championships, and Josh Rosen, DJ Uiagaleilei, Vikings offensive lineman Wyatt Davis, Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie and others as alums. The school's president and CEO is former ULM athletics director Brian Wickstrom.
Bosco enters the 2022 season as the No. 1 team in MaxPreps rankings. The Braves open the season at Allen (Texas), then travel to Autzen Stadium to face Central Catholic (Oregon) on Sept. 9. Bosco faces its rival, No. 2-ranked Mater Dei, on Oct. 7 as part of its highly-competitive Trinity League schedule.