The short version: New Mexico high school athletes may be paid for commercial endorsements, as long as the deal has no connection to their school, school team, or the NMAA — no uniform, no school name or logos, and no tagging the school in posts. Payment or free stuff given because you play on a school team is a different matter, and can cost you your amateur status.
Who sets the rules
The New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) governs high school sports in the state. Its NIL rule is part of its amateurism bylaw, Rule 6.17.3, in Section VI (Eligibility) of the NMAA Handbook (the edition dated July 1, 2026 on the NMAA Handbook page). The NMAA Board adopted the NIL language unanimously (12-0) on June 1, 2023, per the board meeting minutes, noting that "In New Mexico we have a state statute that only applies to college."
That state statute is the Student Athlete Endorsement Act (Senate Bill 94, 2021), which defines a "student athlete" as "an individual who engages in an intercollegiate sport." For high schoolers, the NMAA handbook is the rule that decides eligibility.
The rule
Under Rule 6.17.3(A)(3), an athlete may lose amateur status by "Capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving money or gifts of monetary value in affiliation or connection with activities involving the student's school team or school." Then comes the NIL provision:
- (a) "This provision is not intended to restrict the right of any student to use their name, image, or likeness to participate in a commercial endorsement provided there is no school, school team, or NMAA affiliation."
- (b) "The student is prohibited from appearing in the uniform of the student's school and may not utilize the name, marks, logos, etc. of the school, or NMAA as part of any endorsement."
"No affiliation" is broader than it sounds
The handbook answers this exact question. Asked about a local business paying student-athletes for endorsements, NMAA says: "Students may receive compensation for commercial endorsements provided there is no school, school team, or NMAA affiliation. This would include the use of school or Association marks/logos, the school uniform, references (including hashtags, or other social media tags) to the school or the Association, etc."
So before you post, check the photo, the caption, the hashtags, and any tagged accounts. Tagging your school's athletics account in a sponsored post can put an otherwise-fine deal over the line.
Endorsements vs. perks for playing
The same handbook section gives examples that don't count as endorsements. A local shoe store owner giving a volleyball player free shoes, or a restaurant giving the team a free meal after a game: "Yes, financial benefit gained because of athletic participation does jeopardize a student's amateur status." The line the handbook draws is between compensation for a commercial endorsement with no school connection, and a benefit given "because of athletic participation." If you're not sure which side a deal is on, ask before you accept.
Other rules that apply
- Contracts. "An amateur athlete shall not sign any contract for his/her services as an athlete representing he/her school except a letter of intent to attend a college or university" — Rule 6.17.4.
- Recruiting. The general recruiting rules still apply to any deal. Rule 6.2.1 bars recruiting a student to a member school to play sports, including offering "improper benefits not available to all members of the student body," and says a "representative of the school's athletic interests (including parents and boosters) shall not influence a student."
What's at stake
"In order to represent their school in any Association-sanctioned contest, students must be amateurs in that sport" — Rule 6.17.1. Losing amateur status in one sport "does not necessarily" mean losing it in others, and "An appeal for reinstatement of amateur status must be submitted to the NMAA" — Rule 6.17.9.
What the handbook doesn't cover
Section VI does not list banned sponsor categories for NIL deals, set an NIL disclosure requirement, or have an NIL-specific parent-consent rule. Don't read that as permission: your school or district may have its own rules, and a deal with an alcohol, gambling, or similar sponsor is worth asking about before you sign. Check with your athletic director or the NMAA.
A checklist for New Mexico athletes
- Make sure the deal is an endorsement of a business or product, not a reward for playing on a school team.
- Remove anything school-related: uniform, school name, logos, mascot, and school or NMAA hashtags and tags.
- Have a parent or guardian involved, and get it in writing. Our NIL contracts guide explains what to look for, and our guide to taxes on NIL income covers what to set aside.
- Tell your athletic director about the deal and ask whether your school or district has its own NIL rules.
Ready to look for an endorsement that fits these rules? Create your profile or browse open opportunities — and keep every post free of school branding.