Booster Information (DIII)

Overview

These rules establish the core principle of institutional control within the NCAA. This means that each college and university is fully responsible for the oversight and conduct of its athletics programs.
The school's president or chancellor has the final authority and ultimate responsibility for the athletics program; they are accountable for ensuring all rules are followed.
While the school's administration holds the ultimate power, control is also shared with the conferences to which the institution belongs. This ensures there are multiple layers of oversight for compliance.
The rules make it clear that the responsibility for control rests directly with the institution itself. This can be through administrative control (e.g., the athletic director and their staff), faculty control, or a combination of both.

Important NCAA Bylaws

A The control and responsibility for the conduct of intercollegiate athletics shall be exercised by the institution itself and the division(s) and conference(s) of which it is a member. A member institution’s president or chancellor has ultimate responsibility and final authority for the conduct of the intercollegiate athletics program and the actions of any board in control of that program.
20.15.1 Responsibility for Control. It is the responsibility of each member institution to control its intercollegiate athletics program in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Association. The institution's chancellor or president is responsible for the administration of all aspects of the athletics program.

20.15.3 Institutional Control. The control and responsibility for the conduct of intercollegiate athletics shall be exercised by the institution itself and by the conference(s), if any, of which it is a member. Administrative control or faculty control, or a combination of the two, shall constitute institutional control.

Overview

These rules define the key terms related to recruiting within the NCAA. The main point is to clarify who can be involved in the recruiting process and what actions are considered recruiting.
Recruiting is any action taken by a school's staff or a "representative of athletics interests" to persuade a prospective student-athlete to enroll and participate in their sports program. This also applies to soliciting the recruit's family or guardians.
“Representative of Athletics Interests” is a broad term for anyone who is considered a "booster" of the school's athletic program. An individual is a representative if they:
- Promote the athletic program.
- Contribute financially to the athletic department or a booster club. At Franklin & Marshall, contributions may include, but are not limited to, gifts to a specific team or program, gifts to Diplomat Athletics, and gifts to the college’s endowment in support of athletic or recreation programs or budgetary needs.
- Help recruit prospective athletes.
- Provide benefits to current athletes or their families.
In short, a school is responsible for the recruiting activities of its staff and anyone who is known to be a supporter of the athletic program.

Important NCAA Bylaws

13.02.8 Recruiting. Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospective student-athlete or a prospective student-athlete's relatives [or guardian(s)] by an institutional staff member or by a representative of the institution's athletics interests for the purpose of securing the prospective student-athlete's enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution's intercollegiate athletics program.
13.02.9 Representative of Athletics Interests. A "representative of the institution's athletics interests" is an individual who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution's executive or athletics administration to:
- (a) Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting the institution's intercollegiate athletics program;
- (b) Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution;
- (c) Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospective student athletes;
- (d) Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
- (e) Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution's athletics program.

Overview

These rules strictly prohibit NCAA schools and their representatives from giving or offering most types of financial aid or special benefits to prospective student-athletes, their families, or friends.
The core principle is that any benefit offered to a recruit must be generally available to all other prospective students at the university. If a benefit is not available to everyone, it cannot be offered to an athlete.
The rules specifically forbid a number of benefits, including:
- Financial & Tangible Items: Offering cash, loans, co-signing loans, or giving gifts of clothing, equipment, or other merchandise.
- Special Arrangements: Providing an employment arrangement for a recruit's family members, offering free or reduced-cost housing, or allowing them to use the school's athletic equipment.
- Services: Offering free or reduced-cost services, rentals, or purchases.
- Events: Sponsoring or organizing an awards banquet for high school athletes.
The goal of these rules is to prevent schools from using special benefits to improperly influence a recruit's decision to attend the university.

Important NCAA Bylaws

13.2.1 General Regulation. An institution's staff member or any representative of its athletics interests shall not be involved, directly or indirectly, in making arrangements for or giving or offering to give any financial aid or other benefits to the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or friends, other than expressly permitted by NCAA regulations. Receipt of a benefit by prospective student-athletes or their relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution's prospective students or their relatives or friends or to a particular segment of the prospective student body determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability.
13.2.2 Specific Prohibitions. Specifically prohibited financial aid, benefits and arrangements include, but are not limited to, the following:
- (a) An employment arrangement for a prospective student-athlete's relatives;
- (b) Gift of clothing or equipment;
- (c) Co-signing of loans;
- (d) Providing loans to a prospective student-athlete's relatives or friends;
- (e) Cash or like items;
- (f) Any tangible items, including merchandise;
- (g) Free or reduced-cost services, rentals or purchases of any type;
- (h) Free or reduced-cost housing;
- (i) Use of an institution's athletics equipment (e.g., for a high school all-star game); or
- (j) Sponsorship of or arrangement for an awards banquet for high school, preparatory school or two-year college athletes by an institution, representatives of its athletics interests or its alumni groups or booster clubs.

Overview

These rules outline what an "extra benefit" is for a student-athlete and specify which benefits are permissible and which are not.
The central principle is that a student-athlete cannot receive a benefit that is not generally available to all other students.
Donors are explicitly prohibited from contributing funds specifically for a student-athlete's financial aid. This rule helps prevent a "pay-for-play" system.
An "extra benefit" is a special arrangement provided by a school employee or booster that is not authorized by NCAA rules. These are generally forbidden.
Permissible Benefits
- Despite the general prohibition on extra benefits, some are allowed under specific conditions:
  - Prizes: Student-athletes can win prizes from promotional activities (like a half-court shot contest) as long as the event is open to the general public or the student body and the athlete is not specifically selected to participate.
  - Occasional Meals: An entire team or an individual athlete can receive an occasional meal from a coach or booster. These meals must be infrequent and special. A team can also get a meal from a booster while traveling to or from a game.
  - Fundraisers: In extreme circumstances (like a life-threatening illness or natural disaster), a school may help a student-athlete's family with a fundraiser. The money must be used for a specific purpose (e.g., medical bills), and any leftover funds must be donated to a non-profit organization.
  - Apparel: Schools can provide non-athletic apparel (like a polo shirt) with the school logo for team travel or events. Other clothing can be provided on a temporary "issuance and retrieval" basis.
  - Miscellaneous: Other allowed benefits include using a return ticket after a foreign tour, participating in receptions at championships, and receiving "reasonable tokens of support" during a family emergency.

Important NCAA Bylaws

15.01.6 Contributions by Donor. It is not permissible for a donor to contribute funds to provide financial aid for student athletes.
16.02.3 Extra Benefit. An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or a representative of the institution's athletics interests to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete's relative or friend a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Receipt of a benefit by student-athletes or their relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution's students or their relatives or friends or to a particular segment of the student body determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability.
16.11.1 Permissible. / 16.11.1.4 Promotional Activity Prize. A student-athlete, selected through a random drawing open to the general public or the student body, may receive a prize as part of a promotional activity conducted by an institution or held on an institution's campus.
16.11.1.4.1 Use of Athletics Ability. Use of athletics ability (e.g., making a half-court basketball shot) to win such a prize in the promotional contest or activity does not affect a student-athlete's eligibility.
16.11.1.5 Occasional Meals. A student-athlete or the entire team in a sport may receive an occasional meal from an institutional staff member or representative of the institution's athletics interests under the following conditions:
- (a) The occasional meal may be provided at any location in the locale of the institution;
- (b) Meals must be restricted to infrequent and special occasions; and
- (c) Institutional staff members and representatives of the institution's athletics interests may provide transportation to student-athletes to attend such meals.
16.11.1.5.1 Meal Provided by Representative of Athletics Interests -- Outside Locale of Institution. A representative of the institution's athletics interests may pay for or provide a meal to a student-athlete or team outside of the locale of the institution as long as the meal is in conjunction with, or en route to or from, an away-from-home contest.
16.11.1.6 Occasional Meals Provided by the Relative of a Student-Athlete. A student-athlete or a team may receive an occasional meal provided by the relative of a student-athlete at any location.
16.11.1.7 Nonathletics Apparel Provided by the Institution. An institution may provide a student-athlete with one shirt (e.g., polo or oxford style) bearing the institution's logo each academic year to be used for team travel or other events at which the student-athlete is representing the institution. The shirt may bear the manufacturer's or distributor's normal trademark or logo not to exceed 2 1/4 square inches in area, including any additional material surrounding the normal trademark or logo. Further, an institution may issue other nonathletics apparel to student-athletes for team travel or other events in which they represent the institution on an issuance and retrieval basis.
16.11.1.13 Fundraisers. An institution may provide or arrange for fundraisers for student-athletes (or their relatives or individuals of a comparable relationship) under the following extreme circumstances:
- (a) Extreme circumstances should be extraordinary and the result of events beyond the student-athlete's control (e.g., lifethreatening illness, natural disaster);
- (b) The proceeds must be designated for a specific purpose (e.g., payment of medical bills, purchase of medical equipment, replacement of items lost in a fire, etc.);
- (c) The proceeds may be given directly to the beneficiaries, with receipt kept on file by the institution, which shall include the amount of expenses incurred and the total amount received; and
- (d) The excess proceeds must be given to a not-for-profit organization with a receipt kept on file by the institution.
16.11.1.14 Miscellaneous Benefits. An institution may provide or arrange for the following benefits for a studentathlete:
- (a) The use of a return ticket at any time after conclusion of a foreign tour provided the student-athlete does not miss any class time;
- (b) Participation in receptions and festivities associated with championships, conference tournaments or all-star events hosted by and conducted on the institution's campus;
- (c) Telephone calls in emergency situations as approved by the director of athletics; and
- (d) Reasonable tokens of support in the event of serious injury, serious illness or death of a relative.

Overview

These rules provide a framework for how NCAA student-athletes can earn compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL). The core principle is that athletes can be paid for the commercial use of their NIL, but this cannot be a direct payment for athletic performance or a recruiting inducement.
An athlete can be compensated for the commercial use of their NIL, which can be based on their athletic skill or reputation. This compensation must be a quid pro quo exchange, meaning it's payment for work performed, such as endorsing a product or appearing in an advertisement.
NIL activities cannot be used as a way to pay an athlete for their on-field achievements, nor can they be used to entice a recruit to enroll at a specific school or remain at their current one.
A student-athlete is allowed to use agents or other professional services to help with NIL deals. The business terms of these arrangements, such as travel expenses, must follow standard industry practices.
Informational Links regarding PA State NIL Laws (these resources continue to evolve):

Important NCAA Bylaws

22.01.1 Name, Image and Likeness Compensation. An individual may receive compensation for the use of the individual’s name, image and likeness, which may be secured or compensated based, in whole or in part, on athletics skill or reputation. Name, image and likeness activities may not be used to compensate a student-athlete for athletics participation or achievement.
22.01.2 Offers and Inducements. Name, image and likeness activities may not be used as an inducement for an individual to enroll or remain enrolled at a specific institution.
22.02.1 Name, Image and Likeness Activity. Name, image and likeness activity is any activity that involves the commercial use of an individual’s name, image or likeness to advertise or endorse the sale or use of a product or service. Name, image and likeness compensation must:
- (a) Include quid pro quo (e.g., compensation for work performed);
- (b) Not be contingent upon initial or continued enrollment at a particular institution; and
- (c) Not be in return for athletics participation or achievement.

22.1.1 Representation for Purposes of Name, Image and Likeness Activities. An individual may use professional services, including agent representation, for the purpose of name, image and likeness activities. Business arrangements related to representation for purposes of name, image and likeness activities (e.g., travel expenses associated with meeting) shall be consistent with arrangements between the professional service provider and other prospective or current clients and align with industry standards.

Click here to head to NCAA.org: https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2021/6/17/-membership-division-iii-compliance.aspx