Jamier Brown’s decision to take on the Ohio High School Athletic Association was about changing the game for every talented high school athlete in the state. The five-star wide receiver and Ohio State commit, ranked No. 2 overall in the class of 2027, filed a lawsuit on October 18 in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. He challenged the OHSAA’s blanket ban on high school athletes profiting from their name, image, and likeness. And the gamble paid off in a spectacular fashion. 

On November 24, ESPN’s Pete Thamel broke the news that the OHSAA had voted to allow NIL, with the vote stemming directly from Brown’s lawsuit. “The OHSAA has voted to allow NIL, per a source. This vote stems from Jamier Brown’s lawsuit. Ohio high school athletes can now receive NIL money,” Thamel reported. The emergency referendum passed by a decisive 447-121 margin after member schools cast their votes between November 17-21, with the results announced on November 23. 

What started as a 45-day temporary restraining order issued by Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Jaiza Page on October 20 has now become a permanent policy shift that will impact thousands of Ohio high school athletes for years to come.​The timeline moved at breakneck speed once Brown’s attorneys filed the complaint. He argued that “OHSAA’s blanket ban singles out Ohio’s high school student athletes for unequal treatment. And it also unlawfully suppresses their economic liberties, freedom of expression, and restrains competition in the NIL marketplace.”

Within two days, Judge Page granted the temporary restraining order. It effectively nullified the OHSAA’s prohibition and opened the floodgates for Ohio high schoolers to sign NIL deals immediately. 

The ruling put enormous pressure on the OHSAA. It had already seen its member schools reject an NIL proposal by a lopsided 538-254 vote back in May 2022. But with the court’s 45-day ultimatum, OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute convened an emergency board meeting on October 23 to fast-track another vote.​

Brown made it clear his motivation went beyond personal gain. “What pushed me was knowing that allowing NIL for high school athletes in Ohio could be a game changer for a lot of kids like me,” Brown said. “My family is getting by, but being able to use NIL would take some weight off my mom and me by helping cover things like tutoring, training and travel, which help me grow as both a student and a football player.” 

“Being able to compete where you’re from matters. Ohio is home, and I take pride in that, so my focus is staying here and doing my part to help make things better,” he said.​

The new bylaw will allow student-athletes to enter agreements and be compensated for their name, image, and likeness through appearances, licensing, social media, endorsements, and branding based on their public recognition. With the law finally passed, Ohio joins 44 other states that permit high school NIL. The national trend is clearer than ever before. And it leaves just five states still holding out against the inevitable.​

Ryan Day backs the movement

While Jamier Brown was fighting his legal battle and the OHSAA membership was casting their votes, one of the most influential voices in Ohio football quietly threw his weight behind the change. At his weekly Tuesday press conference in mid-November, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day was asked about the possibility of high schoolers in Ohio making money off their NIL. 

His response was measured but clear. He saw it as an inevitable evolution that would benefit young athletes across the state. “I think across the country, you’re seeing it’s become pretty standard,” Day said. “I think if we would’ve said this about 10 years ago, I think all of us would’ve been like, ‘No way.’ But here we are. We’re in this phase. I can see it obviously benefiting the student-athletes, which ultimately is a great opportunity for them.”​

Ryan Day’s endorsement carried significant weight, especially considering Brown is one of his prized recruits. The head coach’s comments came at a critical moment, just as OHSAA member schools were preparing to cast their ballots. Ryan Day stopped short of directly advocating for the policy change. But his acknowledgment that NIL has become “pretty standard” nationwide sent a clear signal about where he stood. With the vote now passed 447-121, Ohio joined 44 other states in allowing high school NIL. Day’s prediction that this was simply the new reality of amateur athletics proved prophetic.​