IHSAA approves Personal Branding, while basketball shot clock proposal fails

During its annual review of the Member School By-Laws on Monday afternoon, the Board of Directors of the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. approved Personal Branding Activities (PBA) for high school student-athletes while a proposal calling for a basketball shot clock failed.
The Board of Directors, led by this year's President Tom Black of East Central High School and Vice President Jeff Hamstra of Chesterton High School, and made up of elected school administrators from across the state, approved 17 proposals, five failed to receive enough support, while one died for lack of a motion during the meeting in Indianapolis.
All proposals are considered in the order that the rule appears within the current by-laws. The Board of Directors has four options on each proposal: affirm, deny, table or amend a rule. A simple majority is necessary to act on any measure and all approved measures become effective immediately unless otherwise noted.
Personal Branding Activities (PBA)
The Personal Branding Activities item, which passed by a 13-5 vote, allows student-athletes at IHSAA member schools to potentially benefit while preserving their amateur status. The rule becomes effective with next school year (2026-27).
The term "Personal Branding Activities (PBA)" was chosen to clearly distinguish the high school model from the college version of Name-Image-Likeness (NIL). At the most basic level, students will not be allowed to use their school affiliation nor appear in uniform during activities.
"Unlike the current college system, where schools often play a direct role in NIL compensation, the new rule keeps high schools out of arranging or funding deals for student-athletes," IHSAA Commissioner Paul Neidig said. "Instead, it allows students to benefit independently from their school, without using school branding or representing school-sponsored endorsements. It creates a clear distinction between the college model and the educational mission of high school athletics."
"We believe it is far better to be proactive and create thoughtful, education-based guidelines ourselves than to have policies forced upon high school athletics. This approach allows us to protect the values of high school sports while adapting responsibly to a changing landscape."
Allowable PBA Activities include:

•     Non-School, Non-Athletic PBA Activities: Students may engage in PBA activities provided they do not represent the Member School and do not perform athletic services.
 
•    Personal Brand Development: Students may develop and monetize their personal brand through social media, personal appearances, and endorsements unrelated to their school athletic participation.

•    Skills-Based Services: Students may provide non-athletic services such as tutoring, personal training instruction, or coaching youth sports for reasonable compensation.

Prohibited PBA Activities that will result in ineligibility include:
•    School Representation:Any PBA activity that represents or references a Member School, unless directly connected to the student's participation in the school's interscholastic athletic program and directed by the school.
•    Prohibited Activities: The student must not participate in any PBA related to products, services, individuals, companies, or industries that promote gaming or gambling, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, illegal or banned substances (including performance-enhancing substances), sexually explicit material, or firearms or weapons.
•    Athletic Services: PBA activities that involve utilizing athletic skills or participation in interschool athletic contests or demonstrations that are organized, sponsored by, or affiliated with a Member School. A student may provide the following activities if not associated with Member School representation:
(1.) Instructional Services: individual or group instruction, lessons, clinics, or camps. (2.) Appearances and Demonstrations: Participation in events, exhibitions, or promotional activities that may involve athletic skill, provided such participation is not tied to Member Schools or Member School competitions, or outcomes.
(3.) Private Training and Coaching: Providing training or coaching services to individuals or teams not affiliated with the Member School.

•    PBA Collective Participation: Participation in or acceptance of benefits from PBA collectives that work on behalf of, in conjunction with, affiliated with, or for the benefit of any Member School.

•    Recruitment-Related Activities: PBA activities offered to entice a student to attend a particular high school for athletic purposes.
Basketball Shot Clock
A proposal submitted on behalf of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) calling for a 35-second shot clock to be introduced to boys and girls varsity basketball games beginning with the 2028-29 school year, failed with one in favor but 17 opposed.
At the February meeting of the IHSAA Executive Committee, the IBCA had presented rationale, data and other details in support of the proposal.
The IBCA surveyed its membership, receiving 612 responses from approximately 800 boys and girls coaches. Of those returning the surveys, 68% voted in favor of a shot clock.
At a series of eight school administrator meetings around the state during the month of April, the shot clock proposal was presented for input and feedback. In stark contrast, only 79 administrators voted in favor of the measure while 245 were opposed, a percentage of just 24.4%.
 Other items:

•    The elections for next year's leadership of the Board and Executive Committee were also held. Kyle Duncan of Brownsburg was voted president of the 2026-27 Board of Directors and Kris Painter of Terre Haute North Vigo was elected vice president. Paul Voigt of Churubusco was named chairman of the 2026-27 Executive Committee and Tim Grove of Linton-Stockton was confirmed as vice chairman.

•    A proposal from Commissioner Paul Neidig on behalf of the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association (IHSTECA) to classify the boys and girls tennis state tournaments failed with 8 voting in favor and 10 opposed.

•    The minutes of the annual Board of Directors meeting will be published later this week.