St. John Bosco (Calif.) is one of the top high school football teams in the country, ranked No. 2 nationally behind Mater Dei.
They’re also leading off the field, taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by the NIL legislation California signed into law last year.
According to a report by Eric Sondheimer in the Los Angeles Times, the school announced that the entire football team can participate in a new deal with KONGIQ Sports Performance. This is the first deal of its kind for an entire high school team.
The first payments should hit the accounts of participating players before Friday night’s game against Allen (Texas). They will then share personal experiences on social media as part of their end of the bargain.
Here’s what head coach Jason Negro had to say USA TODAY Sports about the deal:
“We are a very collegial minded program. If there’s one thing colleges do, what better way to help our athletes than to give them the same opportunity? I want to be a trailblazer at the high school level, and I think we’re doing that at Bosco.”
The Negro also says that he has not received negative feedback from parents.
“Not a single parent has come to us with concerns or questions about what this is all about.” The way they approach it is it’s a small job,” Negro said. “Kids are paid for a favor to be influencers and talk about it in a positive light. They’re not getting rich off of it, but it’s not a gimmick. It’s simple and straightforward.”
The The Los Angeles Daily News reports that the deal is worth $400 per player.
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