Boosters, referred to by the NCAA as “representatives of the institution’s athletic interests,” include anyone who has:
- Provided a donation in order to obtain season tickets for any sport at the university.
- Participated in or has been a member of an organization promoting the university’s athletics programs.
- Made financial contributions to the athletic department or to a university booster organization.
- Arranged for or provided employment for enrolled student-athletes.
- Assisted or has been requested by university staff to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes.
- Assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student athletes or their families.
- Been involved otherwise in promoting university athletics.
Permissible activities of Boosters:
- 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.
- 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.
Impermissible activities of Boosters:
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.
You may also not engage in any of the following conduct:
- 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.
For more information, please review the Compliance booster booklet linked
here.
