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What are examples of impermissible recruiting activities?
As a booster, you may not:

  • Contact a prospect in-person on-campus or off campus.
  • Contact a prospect by telephone, email, Internet or letter.
  • Provide gifts or free or reduced-cost services to a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian.
  • Employ relatives, guardians or friends of a prospect as an inducement for the prospect’s enrollment and athletics participation at a university.
  • Become directly or indirectly involved in making arrangements for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian to receive money or financial aid of any kind.
  • Provide transportation for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian.
  • Provide free or reduced-cost tickets for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian to attend an athletic event.
  • Provide any material benefit (e.g., meals, cash) to the coach of a prospect, including high school, two-year college, AAU and summer team coaches.

What are examples of permissible activities?
Even though there are many rules prohibiting your involvement with prospects and the recruiting process, as a booster, you may:

  • Notify university coaching staff members about noteworthy prospects in the area.
  • Attend high school or two-year college athletic contests or other events where prospects may compete, provided no contact occurs.
  • Continue existing friendships.

What are examples of impermissible benefits for enrolled student-athletes?
As a booster, you may not provide a student-athlete or a student-athlete’s friends, relatives or guardians:

  • Tickets to college or professional sporting events.
  • A special discount, payment arrangement or credit on a purchase or service.
  • Cash or loan or signing or co-signing of a loan.
  • Transportation, payment of expense or loan of any automobile.
  • Benefits or gifts based upon the student-athlete’s athletic performance.
  • Free or reduced rent or housing.
  • An honorarium to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement.

What are examples of permissible benefits for enrolled student-athletes?
With the various NCAA rules and regulations regarding benefits to student-athletes, it may seem difficult to be a part of a university’s athletic programs. However, you can show your support as a booster in other ways. Boosters may:

  • Make contributions to university programs and other gift-in-kind arrangements.
  • Attend university athletic events and show student athletes you support their hard work and dedication to the university.

What is institutional control?
Institutional control of athletics is a fundamental requirement of NCAA legislation. Specifically, the NCAA constitution states that the university must:

  • Control its intercollegiate athletic programs in compliance with the rules and regulations of the NCAA.
  • Monitor its program to insure compliance.
  • Identify and report to the NCAA instances in which compliance has not been achieved and take corrective actions.
  • Insure those members of university staff, student-athletes and other individuals or groups representing the university’s athletic interests comply with NCAA rules and regulations. As a member of the NCAA, the university is responsible for the actions of its alumni, supporters and fans.

Are there any rules for the employment of enrolled student-athletes by boosters?
Student-athletes may only be compensated for work actually performed and at a rate commensurate with the going rate. Compensation may not include remuneration for the value that the student-athlete may have for the employer due to the student-athlete’s athletics status. Transportation may not be provided to student athletes unless it is a benefit provided to all employees.