What Is a Personal Branding Activity? Indiana's Rule 5-7, Explained
August 5, 2026 · 11 min read
Educational & Illustrative Use Only. Not legal, tax, accounting, or other professional advice and does not create any professional relationship. Consult a locally licensed attorney and CPA before acting on any information here.
On May 4, 2026, the IHSAA Board of Directors voted 13–5 to add Rule 5-7, Personal Branding Activity, to the Member School By-Laws — one of 17 proposals the Board approved at its annual review that day. The rule takes effect with the 2026-27 school year, the one starting now.
Indiana came late to this. By the time of the vote, Michigan had become the 46th state to permit high-school NIL, leaving only a handful of holdouts. That timing matters mostly because it means almost everything written about athlete compensation online is about *college* NIL, which works differently in ways that will cost you if you assume otherwise.
This page summarises what Rule 5-7 requires. It is a summary, and a summary is not the rule. Read the rule yourself — it runs printed pages 30–31 of the 2026-27 Member School By-Laws, it is about two pages, and it is written in plain enough English that you do not need a lawyer to follow it. You may well need one before you sign something.
What counts as a PBA
Rule 5-7.1(a) defines the activity broadly: using a student's name, image or likeness for promotional, endorsement or commercial purposes — through appearances, licensing, social media, endorsements, branding or similar activities.
That is much wider than a contract with a national brand. A paid Instagram post for a local restaurant is inside the rule. A paid appearance at a car dealership's grand opening is inside the rule.
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Educational and Illustrative Use Only
All resources, articles, forms, checklists, examples, scenarios, and guidance are provided solely for general informational, educational, example, and illustrative purposes. They are not legal, tax, accounting, financial, compliance, or other professional advice; do not create an attorney-client, accountant-client, or other professional relationship; may not reflect the law, rules, or facts applicable to a particular person, school, transaction, or jurisdiction; and should not be relied upon without review by an appropriately licensed local attorney and certified public accountant familiar with the user’s specific circumstances. Users remain responsible for obtaining individualized professional advice and confirming current requirements with applicable schools, governing bodies, and authorities.