MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Walny Legal Group moved quickly to finalize Wisconsin's first high school name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal just one day after the policy went into effect in late May.
"NIL allowed us a really unique opportunity, and once we identified that opportunity, we moved really quickly to try to get that in place and try to be pathfinders in the area," Eido Walny said.
Rather than pursuing a football star or basketball recruit, the firm signed Darcy Doyle, a standout lacrosse player at the University School of Milwaukee.
"I'm just really grateful, and then I'm also just really excited it opens up so many opportunities for like women in sports," Doyle said.
Watch: Wisconsin high school lacrosse player signs state's first NIL deal
The groundbreaking deal represents more than just a business arrangement – it's a deliberate choice to spotlight women's athletics.
"It was important for me to do a deal that helped bring a little bit of light onto women's sports. Darcy's an amazing person, great athlete, has a huge future ahead of her, so she was just a great candidate for us," Walny said.
Doyle is committed to Northwestern University, a women's lacrosse powerhouse that has won eight national championships.
"I'm really excited, Doyle smiled. "It was like one of my dream schools."
The partnership aims to educate young people about important legal steps as they reach adulthood.
"What Darcy is going to be doing for us is helping to increase the awareness for young people around 18 of the importance of getting some basic documents like powers of attorney, HIPAA authorizations," Walny explained.
Currently, the deal involves a simple social media campaign, but even straightforward arrangements must carefully follow Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) rules.
"Make sure you get the rules right and you understand everything before you go into it because there can be consequences if you don't do it 100% right," Doyle stated.
Those consequences could include ineligibility for high school athletes.
"The WIAA is still navigating the rules themselves, and so there are a lot of traps for the unwary," Walny said. "The last thing you want to do is get into a contract with a student athlete that results in them being ineligible."
Despite the complexities, NIL represents significant opportunities for young athletes.
"If you have that opportunity, you should take it," Doyle said.
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