High School QB Sues NC Over NIL Restrictions

Faizon Brandon, a top high school quarterback from Greensboro, North Carolina, has filed a lawsuit against the state over its restrictions on public-school athletes earning money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). The lawsuit, filed by his mother Rolanda Brandon in Wake County Superior Court, names the North Carolina State Board of Education and the Department of Public Instruction as defendants. The policy in question, adopted in June, bans public-school athletes from engaging in NIL activities, unlike private-school athletes who face no such restrictions. The lawsuit argues that the State Board of Education overstepped its authority by banning NIL instead of creating rules to permit it. This case mirrors previous legal battles involving high-profile athletes and NIL rules, highlighting ongoing debates over NIL rights at the high school level.