- High school NIL
- Permitted with conditions
- High school authority
- New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA)
- High school rule
- NMAA Handbook, amateur status rules, NIL provision approved June 2023
- High school effective
- June 2023, approved by the NMAA Board of Directors.
- College NIL
- Permitted
- College law
- New Mexico Student Athlete Endorsement Act (SB 94, 2021), amended by SB 219 (2023)
- College effective
- SB 94 effective July 1, 2021. SB 219 effective April 4, 2023.
- Paperwork
- Confirm your school's disclosure expectations
- Penalty
- Violations of the amateur status rules cost eligibility under NMAA rules.
Where high school NIL stands in New Mexico.
New Mexico allowed high school NIL in June 2023 when the NMAA board approved a rule permitting athletes to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness provided there is no school or NMAA affiliation.
The standard conditions apply: no school or NMAA names, logos, or uniforms, no compensation tied to performance, no enrollment inducements, and no involvement by the school.
Effective: June 2023, approved by the NMAA Board of Directors.
What a high school athlete can and can't do.
Allowed
- ✓Endorsements, sponsorships, and paid content as an individual
- ✓Appearances, autographs, camps, and merchandise in the athlete's own name
Not allowed
- ×Any school or NMAA affiliation, including names, logos, or uniforms, in NIL content
- ×Compensation tied to athletic performance or offered as an enrollment inducement
- ×Involvement by the school or its staff
The high school checklist.
- →Read the NMAA NIL provision and your school's policy
- →Keep the school and its marks out of every deal and every piece of content
- →Confirm your school's disclosure expectations
Agents and advisors
The NMAA rule does not bar NIL representation. New Mexico regulates athlete agents by statute. MSG works with New Mexico high school athletes on NIL and brand within the NMAA rule.
Penalties
Violations of the amateur status rules cost eligibility under NMAA rules.
College NIL in New Mexico.
New Mexico's Student Athlete Endorsement Act took effect July 1, 2021 in the first wave of state laws. Athletes may earn NIL compensation, institutions may not penalize it, and earnings do not affect scholarships or stipends. Institutions may not arrange third-party compensation as a recruiting inducement.
The law has one unusual provision: institutions may not prohibit or discourage athletes from wearing footwear of their choice during team activities, subject to health and reflective-material limits. Third-party benefits for food, shelter, medical care, or insurance do not affect eligibility. Since July 2025, opted-in New Mexico schools may pay athletes directly under the House settlement.
Effective: SB 94 effective July 1, 2021. SB 219 effective April 4, 2023.
New Mexico law: key points
- ✓NIL compensation permitted since July 1, 2021; scholarships and stipends protected
- ✓Institutions may not arrange third-party compensation as a recruiting inducement
- ✓Footwear-choice protection during team activities
- ✓Third-party food, shelter, medical, and insurance benefits do not affect eligibility
- ✓Direct school payments permitted under the House settlement for opted-in schools
National framework (House settlement)
Since July 1, 2025, college NIL runs on two tracks. Third-party deals with brands and businesses remain open, and the House v. NCAA settlement now lets Division I schools that opted in pay athletes directly, capped at roughly $20.5 million per school in the first year and rising annually. State law sits on top of that framework and can add rules, but cannot take the federal settlement terms away.
- →Third-party NIL deals of $600 or more must be reported through the NIL Go clearinghouse, generally within five business days, and are reviewed for fair market value
- →Direct payments from a school count against that school's revenue-sharing cap; third-party deals do not
- →The College Sports Commission handles enforcement tied to settlement rules; the NCAA still governs eligibility
- →Every school also has its own NIL policy on disclosure, prohibited categories, and use of school marks, and it applies alongside state law
- →Federal NIL legislation has been proposed repeatedly and remains unresolved
Major Sports Group
What this means for a New Mexico athlete.
Albuquerque is a mid-sized market and New Mexico has produced strong basketball and baseball talent. The NMAA rule has been in place since 2023.
MSG keeps New Mexico deals unaffiliated with the school and structured around deliverables.
New Mexico NIL FAQ.
Can high school athletes in New Mexico do NIL deals?
Yes, since June 2023, under the NMAA rule, provided there is no school or NMAA affiliation and no school names, logos, or uniforms are used.
Can a New Mexico high school athlete wear a school uniform in a sponsored post?
No. Any school or NMAA affiliation in NIL content is prohibited.
Can a New Mexico high school athlete have an agent?
The NMAA rule does not restrict NIL representation. New Mexico regulates athlete agents by statute.
What is New Mexico's college NIL law?
The Student Athlete Endorsement Act (SB 94), effective July 1, 2021 and amended by SB 219 in 2023. It protects NIL compensation and scholarships, bars recruiting inducements, and includes a footwear-choice protection.
Can New Mexico and New Mexico State pay athletes directly?
Yes, for schools that opted into the House settlement, since July 1, 2025, within the revenue-sharing cap.
- NIL laws by state, New Mexico SB 94 (Athlete Agent Labs)
- High school NIL rules by state, New Mexico (On3)
- Nationwide NIL tracker, SB 219 (Foley & Lardner, August 2024)
- NIL Rules in 2026: updated guide (Sportsepreneur, June 2026)
Rules change, sometimes mid-season. This page reflects the sources above as of August 2026 and is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the current position of the New Mexico Activities Association, your college\u2019s NIL policy, and your school before signing anything.