In Raleigh, North Carolina, Rolanda Brandon, the mother of a highly regarded high school football player who has committed to play at the University of Tennessee, has taken legal action against the state of North Carolina. Her son, Faizon Brandon, a quarterback at Greensboro Grimsley, is a top recruit in the class of 2026. The lawsuit, filed in Wake County Superior Court, challenges the state’s restrictions that prevent public-school athletes from capitalizing on their athletic success through their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
The complaint specifically names the state Board of Education and the Department of Public Instruction as defendants, citing a policy implemented in June that prohibits North Carolina’s public-school athletes from earning money from their NIL rights. Attorney Mike Ingersoll from Charlotte stated that the State Board of Education overstepped its authority by prohibiting NIL opportunities and expressed optimism about rectifying this decision to allow Faizon to benefit from his hard work and success in sports.
According to a report by WRAL of Raleigh, the lawsuit mentions that a national trading card company had offered to pay Faizon for autographs, providing financial security for his family in the future. As it stands, North Carolina is one of the states that do not permit public-school athletes to engage in NIL activities like endorsements or public appearances for financial gain, a trend that is prevalent at the collegiate level.
Interestingly, the restrictions in North Carolina do not extend to private-school athletes like David Sanders Jr., a five-star prospect and fellow Tennessee recruit from Providence Day School in Charlotte. Sanders has launched a website selling merchandise featuring his image, showcasing the disparity in NIL opportunities between public and private-school athletes.
