CLEVELAND, Ohio — A former high school football player has filed a class-action lawsuit in California. It has the potential to set a precedent for Name, Image and Likness rules across the United States, if successful, according to a report from Reuters.

Dominik Calhoun, a 2025 graduate of Pittsburg High School in California and member of Boise State’s incoming recruiting class at safety, is the plaintiff in the suit against the California Interscholastic Federation.

It follows year of litigation against the NCAA, starting with cases such as former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon’s suit, that opened the door for college athletes to earn money through NIL.

“Like the cases that have led to important reforms in college sports,” said attorney Yaman Salahi, who filed the suit Friday in San Francisco, for the Reuters report, “we’re asking a simple question: if corporations are cashing in on high school athletes’ hard work, then why can’t the athletes themselves? We’re pushing to make the system fairer and to bring long-overdue rights to young athletes.”

The CIF, which had yet to respond as of Thursday morning to Reuters, also is not the only target in the athlete’s suit. Spectrum SportsNet LLC, which has regional networks throughout the country including California and Ohio, is among the defendants. Spectrum is the official television partner of the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

SBLive Sports Inc., which is now under the umbrella of Sports Illustrated, also is named in the suit.

California has NIL provisions in its bylaws. Thirty high schools have NIL permissions. California allows student-athletes to receive payments from third parties in “narrow circumstances,” the lawsuit stated according to Reuters. Endorsements cannot be made, however, on school property or with school uniforms.

In 2022, Bronny James and Juju Watkins signed NIL deals with Nike while in high school. Both attended Sierra Canyon, which is in the CIF.

Payments from broadcasting agreements, ticket sales and sponsorships are not allowed by the CIF. Calhoun is challenging that and the CIF’s player-eligibility rules that restrict transferring between schools for athletic reasons.

The suit has been filed in the same Northern California District that has heard several NIL cases against the NCAA, according to Front Office Sports, which also obtained a copy of the complaint.

“These policies harm the high school student-athletes who create the economic value exploited by the CIF, its Sections, its member schools, and their commercial partners, and constitute unreasonable restraints of trade in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act,” the complaint read, according to Front Office Sports.

Ohio is not among the 30 states that allow NIL in some form. OHSAA member schools voted down an NIL proposal in 2022 by a count of 538 to 254. Since then, Florida has adopted NIL. So have some states that border Ohio, including Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

Dr. Gregory J. VincentHoward University’s alumni-led Mecca Society has formed a strategic partnership with the 360 NIL Group to enhance name, image and likeness opportunities for the historically Black university’s student-athletes, the organizations announced this week.

The collaboration aims to strengthen Howard’s ability to recruit and retain top athletic talent amid intensifying competition from other universities offering lucrative NIL deals to prospective student-athletes.

The partnership will begin with a short-term fundraising campaign, including a Day of Giving and targeted donor outreach, before expanding into a longer-term NIL strategy. The effort comes as Howard and other HBCUs face mounting pressure to compete with larger, better-funded athletic programs.

“At a time when HBCUs and other mission-driven institutions face fierce competition for top talent, it is imperative that we invest in scholar-athletes at institutions that value their futures,” said Ludwig P. Gaines, president and co-founder of the 360 NIL Group.

The 360 NIL Group, a national consulting firm specializing in NIL strategies and fundraising, will work with the Mecca Society to develop sustainable funding mechanisms for Howard’s approximately 400 student-athletes across 19 sports programs.

Dr. Gregory J. Vincent, CEO and co-founder of the 360 NIL Group, said the partnership reflects Howard’s historic mission of developing leaders. The university, founded in 1867, has produced notable alumni including Vice President Kamala Harris, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and numerous Olympic athletes.

“This partnership with the Mecca Society is about investing in our scholar-athletes so they can remain at the forefront—academically, athletically, and civically,” said Vincent, a prominent higher education leader who has held a variety of leadership posts at the University of Texas at Austin, Hobart and William Smith College, University of Kentucky and Talladega College.

The initiative addresses a critical challenge facing HBCUs since the NCAA began allowing student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness in 2021. Many historically Black institutions have struggled to match the NIL resources available at predominantly white institutions with larger alumni donor bases and corporate partnerships.

Eric Grant, a Mecca Society board member, said the partnership will help Howard “move swiftly and strategically” in the competitive NIL landscape.

Howard’s athletic programs have achieved recent success, with the men’s basketball team making the NCAA tournament in 2022 and the track and field program producing multiple Olympic athletes. Former Olympian David Oliver, who directs Howard’s track and field program, said the university offers student-athletes “something meaningful” beyond athletics.

The Mecca Society, established as a nonprofit alumni collective, focuses on advancing academic, athletic and professional opportunities for Howard student-athletes through NIL deals, leadership development and community engagement.

Former Duke Blue Devils standout Cooper Flagg took the college basketball world by storm during his lone season in 2024-25. As the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation, Flagg lived up to the hype, leading Duke to a 35-4 record and a Final Four appearance while earning accolades like the ACC Player of the Year and the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year.

However, we all know that in today’s world, his impact extended far beyond the court. His Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) earnings reportedly reached staggering heights, surpassing even his projected NBA rookie salary.

Unprecedented NIL earnings at Duke

During an interview with Bob Costas, sports journalist Howard Bryant revealed that Flagg’s NIL earnings at Duke amounted to an astonishing $28 million. This figure, which includes a massive $13 million deal with New Balance and another whopping $15 million deal with Fanatics, dwarfed earlier estimates of $4.8 million by On3. These contracts represent multi-year totals, but even so, they highlight Flagg’s unparalleled marketability as a college athlete. He also signed additional deals with brands like Gatorade, Cort Furniture, and The NIL Store which further boosted his earnings, and made him one of the highest-paid college athletes ever.

How Flagg’s NIL deals were structured

Flagg’s partnership with New Balance, which he signed in August of 2024, was a landmark deal that reflected his Maine roots with the brand’s nearby manufacturing presence. The Fanatics deal further cemented his status as a marketable star, which included exclusive merchandise like Topps Bowman basketball cards. Combined with his endoresments from Gatorade and others, these deals capitalized on Flagg’s on-court dominance, where he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. His off-court charisma also lended a hand in landing these contracts, as he is well-known as a humble guy who works hard.

Comparing NIL earnings to NBA rookie salary

Flagg is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which the Dallas Mavericks miracuously landed, with a four-year rookie contract estimated at $62.7 million, including $13.8 million in the first year. Remarkably, his $28 million in NIL earnings at Duke is more than double this first-year NBA salary. The transformative power of NIL in college sports has been felt heavily in the past few seasons, where elite athletes like Flagg can out earn their early professional contracts while still in school.

Why NIL earnings are changing college sports

The NIL era has seemingly redefined college athletics, enabling athletes to monetize their personal brands. Flagg’s case is a prime example of this, as his earnings rival those of top NBA rookies. As Costas noted, this finacial dynamic is even more impactful for athletes who can earn more in college than in professional leagues like the WNBA, where top salaries are significantly lower. Flagg’s success is just one highlight of how NIL deals can incentivize athletes to stay in college longer, even though he opted for the NBA after one season.

As Flagg prepares for the NBA, his NIL deals are going to follow him, which allows him to supplement his rookie contract with continued endoresments. When you combine his ongoing brand partnerships with his projected $62.7 million NBA deal, he is positioned very well for a lucrative professional career. Flagg’s ability to dominate not only on the court, but also in the business world, signals a new era for athletes who can leverage their college fame into gigantic financial opportunities.