Booster DOs & DON'Ts
ARE YOU A BOOSTER
A booster is an individual who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution’s executive or athletics administration to:
- Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization, including corporate entities (e.g., apparel and equipment companies), promoting the institution's intercollegiate athletics program
- Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution;
- Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes;
- Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
- Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution's athletics program.
Note: Once an individual is identified as a booster the person retains that identity forever.
INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL
Institutional Control of athletics is a fundamental requirement of NCAA Legislation. Specifically,
the NCAA Constitution provides that each institution shall be responsible for:
- Controlling its intercollegiate athletics program in compliance with the rules and regulations of the NCAA.
- Monitoring its program to insure compliance, identifying and reporting to the NCAA any instances in which compliance has not been achieved and taking appropriate corrective actions.
- Insuring that members of the institution’s staff, student-athletes and other individuals or groups representing the institution's athletics interests comply with NCAA rules.
RECRUITING PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES
- A prospective student-athlete is defined by the NCAA as any person who has begun classes in the ninth grade.
- A prospective student-athlete remains a prospect even after he or she has signed a National Letter of Intent or accepts an offer of financial aid to attend UWF.
- Only coaches and athletic department staff members can be involved in the recruiting process off campus. A contact is defined as any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or the prospect’s parent or legal guardians during which time any dialogue in excess of an exchange of a greeting occurs.
* In general, all boosters who are not employed by UWF are prohibited from contacting off campus a prospect or prospect’s family to encourage the prospect to participate in intercollegiate athletics at UWF.
As a booster, you are prohibited from: (NCAA Bylaw 13)
- Having any off-campus contact with a prospective student-athlete
- Communicating with a prospective student-athlete or their relatives or legal guardians before June 15 immediately preceding their junior year.
- Making arrangements for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or friends, to receive money or financial aid of any kind.
- Providing transportation for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or friends to visit our campus.
- Providing free tickets or tickets at a reduced cost for prospects or the prospects relatives or friends to attend an athletic event.
- Entertaining high school, prep school or community college coaches.
As a representative of the institution’s athletics interest, you are permitted to: (NCAA Bylaw 13.1.2.3)
- Notify our coaches about prospects in your area that may be strong additions to our teams.
- Attend high school or two-year college athletic contests or other events where prospects may compete; however, you may not contact the prospect or the prospect’s relatives.
- Continue existing friendships with families of prospects, but you may not attempt to recruit the prospect.
EXTRA BENEFITS
In addition to regulating contact of our boosters with prospects, the NCAA also regulates contact with current UWF student-athletes, as well as their relatives and friends. An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or a booster to provide a student-athlete, prospect, or their relatives or friends a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. In general, you may not provide a benefit that is not authorized by NCAA legislation or make special arrangements for student-athletes and prospective student-athletes that are not available to the general student population.
Examples of prohibited extra benefits not allowed by NCAA rules, but are not limited to, are as follows: (NCAA Bylaw 16)
- Providing cash or loans in any amount, or signing or co-signing for a loan.
- Providing gifts or any kind, including birthday cards and holiday gifts.
- Providing special discounts for goods and services (e.g. car repairs, legal services,meals).
- Providing free rent or reduced rent, housing.
- Purchasing complimentary admissions from a student-athlete.
- Providing an honorarium to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement.
As a booster, you are permitted to: (NCAA Bylaw 16)
- Invite a student-athlete into your home for an occasional meal, but please coordinate such activity with the respective Head Coach.
- Notify our coaches about prospects in your area that may be strong additions to our teams.
- Attend high school or two-year college athletic contests or other events where prospects may compete; however, you may not contact the prospect or the prospect’s relatives.
- Continue existing friendships with families of prospects, but you may not attempt to recruit the prospect.
- Have in-person contact with a prospective student-athlete while they are on an official or unofficial visit. This contact is limited to only on-campus.
Consequences to Boosters for NCAA Violations:
Institutions required by the NCAA to notify boosters of consequences regarding rules violations. Boosters found in violation of NCAA rules are subject to losing benefits and privileges, including season tickets. The NCAA Committee on Infractions has processed cases in which penalties have included both the disassociation of boosters with the institution and the loss of season ticket privileges.
BOOSTER INVOLVEMENT- NAME, IMAGE, LIKENESS (NIL)
A UWF booster may engage with a current student-athlete in connection with the booster’s private business provided UWF is not involved in identifying or selecting the booster and the engagement is in accordance with Florida law and UWF policy, is not an impermissible inducement, and does not constitute pay-for-play. Existing extra benefit NCAA legislation requiring the student-athlete to pay the going rate available to the general public for professional services shall apply.
Rules Governing Student-Athlete Employment
Student-athletes receiving grant-in-aid will be eligible for employment during the regular academic year as well as during the university’s official vacation periods (winter and spring break) and the summer.
The following rules are applicable to student-athlete employment:
- The student-athlete is compensated only for work actually performed at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services.
- The student-athlete has not been hired based on his or her athletics ability.
Rules Governing Promotional Activities for Student-Athletes
All charitable, educational, and nonprofit promotional activities involving student-athletes must have prior approval from the Athletics Director. Student-athletes are not permitted to be involved in the advertisement, recommendation or promotion of sales or use of a commercial product or service of any kind.
Rules Governing Agents and Amateurism (NCAA Bylaw 12)
A student-athlete who loses his or her amateur status shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if:
- The student-athlete or family member negotiate, sign or enters into any written or oral agreement with an agent.
- The student-athlete or family member accepts or receives any extra benefits from an agent or anyone who wishes to represent the student-athlete.
- The student-athlete competes with a professional sports team or competes as a professional in an individual sport and receives any compensation for participation.
- The student-athlete uses his or her skills for pay or promise of pay.
Rules Governing Gambling (NCAA Bylaw 10.3)
A student-athlete, coach and/or employee of the UWF Athletic Department may not provide information to individuals involved in any type of organized gambling concerning sporting events. In addition, student-athletes, coaches and staff of the UWF Athletics Department may not solicit or accept any wager on any intercollegiate or professional athletics contest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can a booster be involved in any way when a prospect is on an official or unofficial visit?
A: Yes. However, the booster may have contact only on campus during the student-athletes official or unofficial visit. Off-campus contact is prohibited.
Q: May a student-athlete’s name or picture be used to directly or indirectly advertise, recommend, or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service?
A:Yes, provided the student-athlete has entered an NIL contract with the company.
Q: Is it permissible for a booster to reimburse the coach for expenses incurred in transporting a prospect to visit the campus?
A: No.
Q: Is it permissible for a booster to pay in whole or in part registration fees associated with sport camps?
A: No.
Q: Is it permissible for an athletics representative to provide enrolled student-athletes a home cooked meal?
A: Yes. Provided it is on an “occasional” basis and any such meal is not at a restaurant. Please note: All requests must receive prior approval from the athletics department.
Q: Is UWF responsible for the acts of boosters and booster support groups?
A: Yes. Boosters are governed by the same NCAA and institutional rules and regulations as those placed upon all institutional athletics staff members.
Q: Is it permissible for a booster to provide gifts or awards to a student-athlete for his or her athletics performance?
A: No. All awards must conform to NCAA awards legislation and must be approved by UWF.
Q: Is it permissible for a booster to provide an enrolled student-athlete with professional services (for which a fee would normally be charged) for personal reasons?
A: No. Professional services provided at a fee less than the normal rate or at no expense to a student-athlete are considered extra benefits.
Q: May a student-athlete make a public appearance at a business establishment for any purpose such as signing autographs etc.?
A: Yes. Such appearances can be construed as a direct or indirect endorsement of the commercial establishment, provided they are receiving compensation through an NIL contract.
