North Allegheny athletic director concerned by changing definition of amateurism

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, October 15, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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A groundbreaking name, image and likeness policy proposed by the PIAA cleared a second hurdle this month, meaning Pennsylvania high school athletes soon could be eligible to make money from NIL deals this winter.

But some school administrators and coaches still have concerns about potential negative impacts, including those raised by North Allegheny athletic director Bob Bozzuto, president of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Directors Association.

“I’m not sure everybody is on board and likes the new definition of amateurism,” said Bozzuto, a member of the PIAA board.

Two dozen states already have an NIL policy in place for high school athletes, allowing them to make money from advertisements, endorsements and other commercial opportunities.

The PIAA board debated the NIL issue at its Oct. 11 meeting and passed its proposed policy on a second reading. A third and final vote could come in December, making the policy official.

Bozzuto’s position with PSADA earns him a seat on the PIAA board. He voiced his concerns about NIL at the latest meeting in Mechanicsburg.

“All of the conversation going on was that it’s a done deal,” Bozzuto said afterward. “But what I wanted to throw out there was, is this what we really want? Because you’re going to change the definition of amateur big time, and I think it’s going to be a bigger problem than people think.”

Bozzuto noted how Ohio school districts voted down an NIL policy in May, and he suspected Pennsylvania athletic administrators would do the same if given that choice.

PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi countered that the PIAA would be in a stronger position by taking a proactive approach now to writing its own NIL policy, rather than leaving that task to another state entity.

“I’m afraid that if we don’t get in front of this and then give an education piece for mom and dad, this is going to be done for us, we’ll have no control over it and then we’re stuck,” Lombardi told the PIAA board. “I agree philosophically (with Bozzuto’s point). The amateurism of interscholastic athletics is still one of the beauties of it. But I think in that space, we need to take a look and say, ‘How can we protect that so people don’t get hurt?’ ”

The proposed PIAA policy attempts to maintain amateurism by separating NIL deals from any association with high school sports. For example, athletes are not allowed to wear any school-identifying uniform or clothing in any NIL-related work. They also cannot “display the logo, insignia or identifying mark of an NIL partner” during school-related athletic activities such as games.

Member schools are prohibited from soliciting, arranging, negotiating or paying for any NIL deal involving a student. That ban extends to coaches, boosters, administrators and alumni, unless that person is the student’s parent.

In an attempt to avoid potential recruiting issues, the PIAA this month also banned “collectives,” which was defined as individuals or companies “whose goal is to provide NIL opportunities to student-athletes of a specific school.”

NIL deals for certain categories of products and services are off limits to PIAA athletes: adult entertainment, alcohol, controlled substances, opioids, casinos and gambling, and weapons, firearms and ammunition.

The PIAA board first discussed this NIL policy in July and has made changes since, including the addition of three levels of discipline.

A first violation will result in a warning and supplemental education. A second violation would cost an athlete 50% of the season. A third violation would result in one year of ineligibility.

The board meets again Dec. 7.

“I think this helps us,” Lombardi said of the policy. “I think this preserves the insignia and the reputation of the school because it can’t be used (in NIL-related products). It can only be the kid, their name and their likeness.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: North Allegheny