Sports

NIL approved by SDHSAA Board of Directors

Jun 12, 2024

By Ryan Deal

605 Sports

Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) is coming to South Dakota high school athletics.

At the South Dakota High School Activities Association Board of Directors meeting on June 12, the board voted to permit NIL for high school athletes. College athletics began using NIL in recent years, where a student-athlete is eligible to make money off of their name, image and likeness.

It was the staff’s recommendation to approve the election result approving the constitutional amendment. The vote was 115-7 in favor of approving NIL to the SDHSAA, or 94% yes and 6% no. The threshold for constitutional amendment is 60%. The NIL will go into effect on July 1.

Todd County’s Chuck Wilson was approved to the SDHSAA Board of Directors position as the Native American at-large representative. There will be a runoff election between Lyman’s Chris Long and Custer’s Mark Naugle as the West River at-large representative on the board of directors.

In other action, the board also approved sports for Howard (softball), Parker (softball), Pine Ridge (softball) and Sturgis/Newell/Lead-Deadwood (soccer) starting in 2024-25.

The Board of Directors also conducted a first reading on sites for the 27-28 school year and changes to sites for previous years.

In softball, the Class AA state tournament will be in either Sioux Falls, Brookings or Vermillion in 2025. The Class A and Class B softball tournaments will remain in Aberdeen.

The 2025 state dual wrestling tournament will be held in Pierre on Feb. 14 (Class B) and Feb. 15 (Class A).

The 2025 Class AA girls golf tournament will be at Prairie Green Golf Course in Sioux Falls. The 2027 state track and field meet will be held in Sioux Falls. It was originally scheduled to be held in Rapid City.

Site Selection Committee Recommendations for 2027-28

Boys A Golf Rapid City Oct. 4-5, 2027

Boys AA Golf Pierre Oct. 4-5, 2027

Girls Tennis Sioux Falls Oct. 4-5 and 7-8, 2027

Soccer Huron Oct. 16, 2027

Journalism Vermillion Oct. 18, 2027

Cheer & Dance Watertown Oct. 22-23, 2027

Cross Country Sioux Falls Oct. 23, 2027

Chorus & Orchestra Sioux Falls Oct. 29-30, 2027

Football Vermillion (USD) Nov. 11-13, 2027

Combined Volleyball Rapid City Nov. 18-20, 2027

Oral Interp Huron Dec. 3-4, 2027