Alabama

Alabama lawmaker files bill that would allow NIL for high school athletes

Published

1 year ago

December 11, 2023

Alabama lawmaker files bill that would allow NIL for high school athletes

Is Nick Saban Satisfied with Alabama’s 2024 Class??

Alabama is one of the top-talent-producing states that doesn’t allow high school athletes to participate in NIL without losing eligibility. That could change if an Alabama state representative generates traction with his latest proposal.

Rep. Jeremy Gray, a Democrat from Opelika who is running from Congress, recently introduced House Bill 25. The bill would bypass the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s amateur policy that prohibits NIL activities and allow prep stars to make money off deals.

Gray’s bill is limited to the athlete and does not allow the use of “marks, including a school logo, school name, school mascot, or trademarked logo or acronym of an athletic association,” along with some other restrictions. Plus, the bill says no student-athletes in the state “shall be prevented from receiving compensation for the use of his or her name, image or likeness.”

Gray, who played football at NC State and was a former three-star recruit, told AL.com the move would put Alabama on the same level playing field as other states that have NIL laws for high school athletes.

“It’s already happening on a college level and what better way to get kids trained to the mindset of NIL by starting in high school,” Gray told AL.com.

Neighboring states allow NIL for high schoolers

In early October, the Georgia High School Association amended its rules to allow high school student-athletes to participate in NIL without losing eligibility. A similar revision is being considered in Florida. It’s also allowed in Tennessee. With the Georgia change, 34 local athletic associations across the country allow student-athletes to participate in NIL deals without forfeiting the ability to play high school sports.

Some high school coaches in states without NIL rules have spoken out about losing top players to areas where it’s allowed. Even multiple varsity coaches in Alabama have talked openly about out-of-state coaches in NIL-legal areas recruiting players away.

Many national NIL observers believe Alabama could be one of the next states to shift its stance on NIL and amateur rules. This bill could be the spark to make it happen.

“Now that Georgia high school athletes can monetize their NIL, I wouldn’t be surprised if Alabama is next considering their proximity and competition on the gridiron,” Dan Greene, an associate attorney at Newman & Lickstein, told On3 in November. “Perhaps these other associations will realize that the ‘Wild, Wild West’ aspect of NIL has either come and gone or is not as big as some others have made it out to be.”

What are the rules currently in Alabama?

The AHSAA follows an amateur policy that says high school student-athletes “can’t use (their) athletic abilities to gain anything financially,” according to director Alvin Briggs.

Yet, things got extremely murky when AHSAA assistant director Jeff Segars told WCOV Fox 20 in mid-October that “for the most part, [the Georgia High School Association NIL rule is] nothing different from what our amateur rule says.”

“Our amateur rule says that an athlete can’t make money off his athletic ability,” Segars said. “We have that. It’s not NIL. It’s an amateur rule. But everybody is jumping up and down saying, ‘We gotta have NIL.’ Well, the NCAA doesn’t even know what it is. They’re trying to get control of it. All these people want to talk about NIL. Our amateur rule is doing a good job.

“Our member schools make the rules. If they want to come in and change it, we’ll enforce the rules like they make them.”

Where is NIL not allowed for high school athletes?

While Alabama is one of the top recruiting hotbeds that doesn’t allow NIL for high school athletes, it’s not the only state that has either state laws or state association rules against it. It’s widely accepted that there are still 17 state associations where NIL is not allowed if players want to participate in prep sports.

Outside of Alabama, it’s also not allowed in top talent-producing states like Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas.

The Florida High School Athletic Association is currently drafting an NIL reform proposal for its board of directors to view. Additionally, the Michigan House passed a bill in October that would prohibit schools and athletic associations from blocking students from participating in NIL activities. Plus, South Carolina High School League commissioner Jerome Singleton said in mid-November that he’s writing an NIL policy that will be presented for a vote in January.

Who could benefit in Alabama?

While a change would be too late for the Class of 2024, a revised NIL stance in Alabama could impact juniors and other underclassmen throughout the state.

There are currently six Class of 2025 football prospects that have an On3 NIL Valuation of more than $75,000.

At the top of the list is four-star Texas Longhorns quarterback commit K.J. Lacey of Saraland, who has an On3 NIL Valuation of $275,000. Lacey has more than 52,000 followers on social media.

Five-star cornerback Na’eem Offord – one of the most coved prospects in the country – has an On3 NIL Valuation of $161,000. That’s a number that’ll surely increase as the star defender from Birmingham Parker adds more and more followers on social media and gets closer to a college decision.

Even 2026 star linebacker Anthony Jones of Mobile St. Paul’s Episcopal already has an On3 NIL Valuation of $111,000 – and he’s still early in his recruitment and high school career.

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Related Topics:Alabama High School Athletic Association Alvin Briggs Featured Jeremy Gray NIL

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Alabama

‘We played awful’: Alabama basketball reacts to close win over North Dakota

Published

40 minutes ago

December 19, 2024

Press Room

‘We played awful’: Alabama basketball reacts to close win over North Dakota

Don’t worry. Alabama men’s basketball knows it didn’t play well.

Alabama forward Grant Nelson, in his return to his home state, didn’t mince words talking about the Crimson Tide’s 97-90 victory over North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota on Wednesday that came down to the final minute.

“We played awful, pretty much the whole game,” said Nelson, a former North Dakota State player. “We came in, we didn’t take these guys seriously. I was telling them, this is a big game on their home court. We’ve got to take these guys serious. They’re playing for a lot.”

It showed. The Fighting Hawks (4-9) battled from start to finish, holding a lead at halftime and even tying the game with two minutes left. Alabama’s 13 first-half turnovers proved problematic early. Then the Crimson Tide (9-2) fixed its turnover problem but stopped playing good defense.

“We got yelled at like we should have,” said Nelson, a Devils Lake, North Dakota native. “I’m sure we’ll continue to get yelled at the rest of this week. But like I said, they played really great. It’s a great team and I think they’ll win a lot of games.”

Alabama coach Nate Oats was particularly frustrated by his defense. North Dakota scored 52 points in the second half, averaging 1.486 points per possession.

“I give North Dakota credit; they wanted this game,” Oats said. “They were ready for it. Great environment. Crowd was great. And our guys didn’t really come out ready to play. Our matchup on (Treysen) Eaglestaff wasn’t great to start. I don’t know that we really ever found the matchup.”

Eaglestaff scored 40 points, making him the first mid-major player to do so against a team ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll since 2012, per ESPN. The Bismarck, North Dakota native kept the Fighting Hawks in it until the end as he hit 15 of 30 and 8 of 18 from deep. Nelson, meanwhile, scored 23 points to go with 10 rebounds.

“Can’t sleep on those North Dakota boys,” Nelson said. “They can really hoop. I’ve known him for a while. I played him when he was here and I was at North Dakota State. I knew he was a great player. Our scouting report was pretty much around him.”

Which made it all the more frustrating that Eaglestaff did what he did.

“I feel like we let ourselves down,” Nelson said. “We’ve got a lot to learn. We’re going to watch video and see what we can do better.”

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.

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Alabama

Alabama transfer Damon Payne confuses reporters with voided commitment to Michigan

Published

8 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Press Room

Alabama transfer Damon Payne confuses reporters with voided commitment to Michigan

In the current landscape of college football where players are moving teams more than ever in the transfer portal, reporting on college recruiting has become an incredibly difficult job. But on Wednesday, Alabama transfer Damon Payne and his agency made things even more difficult with his commitment to Michigan, which was voided in the span of only a few hours.

Payne, who is a former five-star defensive lineman in the midst of his junior year at Alabama, saw the field rather sparingly this season, recording just 14 total tackles in the eight games he saw action.

On Tuesday, Payne announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. And it didn’t take him long to seemingly narrow down his ideal landing spot, sending in his papers to commit to Michigan on Wednesday morning according to Pete Nakos of On3 Sports.

BREAKING: Alabama DL Damon Payne has signed with Michigan, @PeteNakos_ reports〽️
Payne was a Top 50 recruit in the 2021 class. https://t.co/zbNnUmDEOH pic.twitter.com/aHiOSZGXPH
— On3 (@On3sports) December 18, 2024

However, just three hours later, Nakos offered an update detailing how the documents that Damon Payne had signed had been nullified by his agent.

Alabama defensive lineman Damon Payne’s signed documents have been nullified, @On3sports has learned.
They were signed at roughly 9:30 a.m. ET https://t.co/c8Bun39fxE
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) December 18, 2024
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This obviously raises a question as to whether there was an inaccuracy in Nakos’ reporting on the matter, or if there was some loophole found by Payne’s agent that made his signed documents to Michigan non-binding.

Well, Isaiah Hole, who covers Michigan for the USA Today Sports Network via Wolverines Wire, backed the reporting from On3 Sports, detailing in a series of posts on X how Payne had signed but his commitment was voided by his agency.

“This had nothing to do with On3’s reporting,” wrote Hole. “To clarify: Payne signed, it has been voided. On3 reported correctly.”

To clarify: Payne signed, it has been voided. On3 reported correctly.
— Isaiah Hole (@isaiahhole) December 18, 2024

Payne’s agent, Steven Fantetti, did offer a vague clarification on the matter in a statement to On3 Sports, detailing just that Payne has not yet signed with any school and will release his commitment “under his own terms soon”.

“Damon Payne is not currently signed with any school, and he will be releasing his commitment under his own terms very soon,” Fantetti said in his statement.

As for where Payne could be headed once he does commit to a school for real, Michigan reportedly remains on his list of teams he is still considering, along with Notre Dame, Oregon, and even a potential return to Alabama.

[On3 Sports, Pete Nakos on X]

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Alabama

Alabama Barker Claims Bhad Bhabie's Boyfriend Le Vaughn Is Abusive

Published

16 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Press Room

Alabama Barker Claims Bhad Bhabie's Boyfriend Le Vaughn Is Abusive

Alabama Barker. Lester Cohen/Getty Images for Capitol Music Group

Bhad Bhabie accused Alabama Barker of apparently stealing her boyfriend, Le Vaughn.

In a since-deleted Instagram Story post screenshotted by Page Six, Bhad Bhabie, 21, claimed, “@AlabamaLuellaBarker took my man. … I told [Le Vaughn] next time I catch you. You got be with time.”

The rapper and social media personality, who welcomed daughter Kali in March with Le Vaughn, then declared she is “single.”

Barker, 18, subsequently denied the accusations.

“I want to be clear: I have no interest in this man, nor would I ever lower myself to be with someone who has been physically abusive towards women,” Alabama, the daughter of exes Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler, wrote in a since-deleted Instagram Story message, per Daily Mail.

Alabama then went on her TikTok on Wednesday, December 18, further denying that she would ever date Le Vaughn, 26.

“I’ve been to her house one time and I guess he was there, but I never saw his face,” Alabama recalled in her Wednesday video. “I’m not looking to wreck anyone’s home or family. I don’t get any cool points from that and I don’t benefit from it all. I also would never date this man.”

Alabama further explained that she later met up with Le Vaughn in Las Vegas and he “continuously lied to [her]” and claimed to be single.

“Sadly, I fell for his manipulative lies and after I told him I no longer wanted communication with him, he continuously tried to talk to me and put me in a very uncomfortable position,” Alabama alleged. “I’m not going to disregard my faults in the situation. There are definitely certain things I could have gone about differently.”

According to Alabama, she “did try to ghost” Le Vaughn in August, but he kept trying to message her. Alabama also alleged that Le Vaughn said he was “in love with me” but refused to tell Bhad Bhabie (real name Danielle Bregoli) the truth.

“The situation is unfortunate and goes against my morals as a woman,” Alabama said. “My intentions are never to break a family apart. That is the lowest of the barrel. Believe me or don’t believe me, that is just disgusting.”

She added, “Thankfully, I’m not blind to the fact that he’s manipulating her or myself. He’s also gaslighting the situation and trying to turn us against each other when really he was the problem from the beginning. Me and Danielle were more like acquaintances than anything.”

Alabama further “regrets even acknowledging [Le Vaughn] in the first place and letting this even become a thing.”

“I take full accountability for things I did participate in, whether I did or did not know, that’s not fair to her at all,” Alabama said. “He’s pushing 30 and he thinks this is OK. That is honestly scary. … I understand her frustration.”

Neither Bhad Bhabie nor Le Vaughn have further addressed the alleged situation.

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