- High school NIL
- Permitted with conditions
- High school authority
- Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA)
- High school rule
- TSSAA Bylaws, Article II, Section 18 (Amateur Rule), as amended
- High school effective
- December 8, 2022. The Legislative Council amended the Amateur Rule 12 to 0, effective immediately.
- College NIL
- Permitted, with strong state protections
- College law
- Tennessee Intercollegiate Athlete's Name, Image, or Likeness Law (Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-7-2801 et seq.), expanded by SB 536 / HB 194 (2025)
- College effective
- Original law effective January 1, 2022. Expanded May 1, 2025.
- Paperwork
- Shoot and publish paid content with no school uniform, name, or logo anywhere
- Penalty
- Violation of the Amateur Rule carries a 12-month suspension from TSSAA-sanctioned sports and activities.
Where high school NIL stands in Tennessee.
Tennessee allowed high school NIL in December 2022 by rewriting its Amateur Rule rather than adding a new one. Athletes may be paid for activities not related to their athletic performance, including endorsements, modeling, merchandise, sponsorships, and lessons, as long as the activity does not suggest the school's endorsement.
The separation from the school is absolute. Paid content cannot show the athlete in a uniform or in any clothing or gear with the name or logo of a TSSAA school the athlete attends or has attended, and neither the TSSAA nor member schools may be involved in deals. Schools have been told they have no role in facilitating or advising, which means families are on their own or working with outside help.
Effective: December 8, 2022. The Legislative Council amended the Amateur Rule 12 to 0, effective immediately.
What a high school athlete can and can't do.
Allowed
- ✓Endorsements, sponsorships, paid social media, and modeling
- ✓Selling the athlete's own merchandise
- ✓Paid lessons and instructional services, which the old rule prohibited
- ✓Appearances and autograph sessions as an individual
Not allowed
- ×Compensation tied to athletic performance
- ×Any image or likeness of the athlete in a uniform, or in clothing or gear showing the school's name or logo, in paid content
- ×Referencing TSSAA awards, championships, or accomplishments in NIL activity
- ×School or TSSAA involvement in arranging or facilitating a deal
- ×Deals used as recruiting inducements; the TSSAA has flagged rising recruiting violations tied to NIL
The high school checklist.
- →Shoot and publish paid content with no school uniform, name, or logo anywhere
- →Keep the school and its staff out of the deal completely; they are not permitted to help
- →Structure pay for the work performed, never for stats or results
- →Complete the free NFHS NIL course the TSSAA recommends for students and parents
Agents and advisors
The TSSAA rule is silent on representation, and its guidance points families to outside education rather than school help. Tennessee regulates athlete agents under the Uniform Athlete Agents Act, with registration through the Secretary of State. MSG works with Tennessee high school athletes on NIL and brand within those rules.
Penalties
Violation of the Amateur Rule carries a 12-month suspension from TSSAA-sanctioned sports and activities.
College NIL in Tennessee.
Tennessee's college NIL law took effect January 1, 2022 and has been expanded since, most recently by SB 536 / HB 194, signed May 1, 2025. But the state's biggest impact came in court. In January 2024, Tennessee's attorney general, joined by Virginia and later Florida, New York, and D.C., sued the NCAA over its ban on NIL discussions during recruiting after the NCAA opened an investigation into the University of Tennessee.
A federal judge in Knoxville granted a preliminary injunction on February 23, 2024, and on March 21, 2025 approved a settlement that made it permanent. Athletes can now negotiate NIL compensation before committing to a school, and the NCAA must consult the states before any new NIL rule takes effect. Layered on top since July 2025 is the House settlement, under which Tennessee schools may pay athletes directly.
Effective: Original law effective January 1, 2022. Expanded May 1, 2025.
Tennessee law: key points
- ✓Athletes may negotiate NIL terms with collectives and schools before enrolling, under the 2025 NCAA settlement
- ✓The NCAA must consult the settling states before new NIL rules take effect
- ✓State law expanded May 1, 2025 to broaden institutional involvement and protect schools from NCAA retaliation
- ✓Direct school payments permitted under the House settlement for opted-in schools
- ✓Agents must be registered under Tennessee's Uniform Athlete Agents Act
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 Tennessee athlete.
Tennessee has been open long enough that the rules are settled and the market has developed, and Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville are strong local markets. The 2026 one-time transfer law adds a new wrinkle: the TSSAA has said it is watching for NIL-driven transfers.
Since schools are told to stay out of NIL entirely, Tennessee families need someone who is not the school. MSG fills that role: deal review, uniform-free content planning, and keeping every agreement clear of anything that looks like a recruiting inducement.
Tennessee NIL FAQ.
Can high school athletes in Tennessee do NIL deals?
Yes, since December 8, 2022. The TSSAA amended its Amateur Rule to allow payment for activities not related to athletic performance, as long as the activity does not suggest school endorsement and no school uniform, name, or logo appears in the content.
Can a Tennessee high school athlete wear a school jersey in a sponsored post?
No. Paid content may not include an image or likeness of the athlete in a uniform or in any clothing or gear showing the name or logo of a TSSAA school the athlete attends or has attended.
Can my school help me get an NIL deal in Tennessee?
No. Neither the TSSAA nor member schools may be involved in NIL deals, and schools have been instructed not to facilitate or advise. Families work independently or with outside representation.
What is the penalty for violating TSSAA NIL rules?
A violation of the Amateur Rule carries a 12-month suspension from TSSAA-sanctioned sports and activities.
Can a Tennessee high school athlete have an agent?
The TSSAA rule does not restrict representation for NIL matters. Tennessee requires athlete agents to register under its Uniform Athlete Agents Act.
What is Tennessee's college NIL law?
The Intercollegiate Athlete's Name, Image, or Likeness Law, effective January 1, 2022 and expanded by SB 536 / HB 194 on May 1, 2025. Tennessee also led the 2024 lawsuit that ended the NCAA's ban on NIL discussions during recruiting, settled in March 2025.
Can Tennessee recruits negotiate NIL before committing?
Yes. Under the settlement approved March 21, 2025 in the Tennessee-led lawsuit, the NCAA may not enforce its NIL recruiting ban, so athletes may discuss and negotiate NIL compensation before choosing a school.
- TSSAA: Name, Image and Likeness and the Amateur Rule
- TSSAA Legislative Council approves NIL (Five Star Preps, December 2022)
- Tennessee AG secures final settlement against NCAA NIL recruiting ban (March 2025)
- Federal judge approves NCAA settlement (WBIR, March 2025)
- Tennessee one-time transfer law and NIL recruiting concerns (WVLT, April 2026)
- 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 Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, your college\u2019s NIL policy, and your school before signing anything.