NCAA RULES

2007-08 NCAA® DIVISION I MANUAL MANUAL

Pages 66-69 in 2007-08 NCAA Division I Manual

12.2 INVOLVEMENT WITH PROFESSIONAL TEAMS

12.2.1 Tryouts.

12.2.1.1 Tryout Before Enrollment. A student-athlete remains eligible in a sport even though, prior to enrollment in a collegiate institution, the student-athlete may have tried out with a professional athletics team in a sport or received not more than one expense-paid visit from each professional team (or a combine including that team), provided such a visit did not exceed 48 hours and any payment or compensation in connection with the visit was not in excess of actual and necessary expenses. A self-financed tryout may be for any length of time.

12.2.1.1.1 Exception for Predraft Basketball Camp. In basketball, prior to full-time enrollment in a collegiate institution, a prospective student-athlete may accept actual and necessary expenses from a professional sports organization to attend that organization’s predraft basketball camp regardless of the length of the camp. (Adopted: 4/27/06)

12.2.1.2 Tryout After Enrollment. After initial full-time collegiate enrollment, an individual who has eligibility remaining may try out with a professional athletics team (or participate in a combine including that team) at any time, provided the individual does not miss class. The individual may receive actual and necessary expenses in conjunction with one 48-hour tryout per professional team (or a combine including that team).

The 48-hour tryout period shall begin at the time the individual arrives at the tryout location. At the completionof the 48-hour period, the individual must depart the location of the tryout immediately in order to receive return transportation expenses. A tryout may extend beyond 48 hours if the individual self-finances additional expenses, including return transportation. A self-financed tryout may be for any length of time, provided the individual does not miss class. (Revised: 1/10/92, 4/24/03, 5/26/06, 4/26/07 effective 8/1/07)

12.2.1.2.1 Exception for Predraft Basketball Camp. In basketball, a student-athlete may accept actual and necessary travel, and room and board expenses from a professional sports organization to attend that organization’s predraft basketball camp regardless of the duration of the camp. [See Bylaws 14.7.3.2-(e) and 16.10.1.9 for more information on predraft basketball camps.] (Adopted: 4/23/03; Revised: 5/26/06,

4/26/07 effective 8/1/07)

12.2.1.3 Outside Competition Prohibited. During a tryout, an individual may not take part in any outside competition (games or scrimmages) as a representative of a professional team.

12.2.1.4 Professional Team Representative at College Practice. A tryout with a professional team is not considered to have occurred when a representative of a professional team visits a member institution during the academic year and evaluates a student-athlete while the institution is conducting a regular practice session, physical education class or off-season conditioning program session that includes physical activities (e.g., speed trials, agility tests, strength tests), provided these activities are normally a part of and take place during regular practice, class or conditioning sessions.

12.2.2 Practice Without Competition. An individual may participate in practice sessions conducted by a professional team, provided such participation meets the requirements of NCAA legislation governing tryouts with professional athletics teams (see Bylaw 12.2.1) and the individual does not:

(a) Receive any compensation for participation in the practice sessions;

(b) Enter into any contract or agreement with a professional team or sports organization; or

(c) Take part in any outside competition (games or scrimmages) as a representative of a professional team.

12.2.2.1 Prohibited Involvement of Institution’s Coach. An institution’s coaching staff member may not arrange for or direct student-athletes’ participation in football or basketball practice sessions conducted by a professional team.

12.2.3 Competition.

12.2.3.1 Competition against Professionals. An individual may participate singly or as a member of an amateur team against professional athletes.

12.2.3.2 Competition with Professionals. An individual shall not be eligible for intercollegiate athletics in a sport if the individual ever competed on a professional team (per Bylaw 12.02.4) in that sport. However, an individual may compete on a tennis, golf, two-person sand volleyball or two-person synchronized diving team with persons who are competing for cash or a comparable prize, provided the individual does not receive payment of any kind for such participation. (Revised: 1/9/96 effective 8/1/96, 1/14/97, 4/25/02 effective 8/1/02)

12.2.3.2.1 Professional Player as Team Member. An individual may participate with a professional on a team, provided the professional is not being paid by a professional team or league to play as a member of that team (e.g., summer basketball leagues with teams composed of both professional and amateur

athletes).

12.2.3.2.2 Professional Coach or Referee. Participation on a team that includes a professional coach or referee does not cause the team to be classified as a professional team.

12.2.3.2.3 Amateur/Professional Leagues. An individual may participate as a member of an amateur team in a league in which one or more teams are professional.

12.2.3.2.4 Major Junior A Ice Hockey. Ice hockey teams in the United States and Canada, classified by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association as major junior A teams, are considered professional teams under NCAA legislation.

12.2.3.2.4.1 Limitation on Restoration of Eligibility. An appeal for restoration of eligibility may be submitted on behalf of an individual who has participated on a major junior A ice hockey team under the provisions of Bylaw14.12; however, such individual shall be denied at least the first year of intercollegiate athletics competition in ice hockey at the certifying institution and shall be charged with the loss of at least one season of eligibility in ice hockey. (Revised: 1/11/89)

12.2.3.3 Competition in Professional All-Star Contest. A student-athlete who agrees to participate in a professional (players to be paid) all-star game becomes ineligible to compete in any intercollegiate contest that occurs after that agreement. Thus, a senior entering into such an agreement immediately following the last regular-season intercollegiate contest would not be eligible

12.2.4 Draft and Inquiry.

12.2.4.1 Inquiry. An individual may inquire of a professional sports organization about eligibility for a professional-league player draft or request information about the individual’s market value without affecting his or her amateur status.

12.2.4.2 Draft List. After initial full-time collegiate enrollment, an individual loses amateur status in a particular sport when the individual asks to be placed on the draft list or supplemental draft list of a professional league in that sport, even though: (Revised: 4/25/02 effective 8/1/02)

(a) The individual asks that his or her name be withdrawn from the draft list prior to the actual draft;

(b) The individual’s name remains on the list but he or she is not drafted; or

(c) The individual is drafted but does not sign an agreement with any professional athletics team.

12.2.4.2.1 Exception—Professional Basketball Draft—Four-Year College Student-Athlete.

An enrolled student-athlete in basketball may enter a professional league’s draft one time during his or her collegiate career without jeopardizing eligibility in that sport, provided the student-athlete is not drafted by any team in that league and the student-athlete declares his or her intention to resume intercollegiate participation within 30 days after the draft. The student-athlete’s declaration of intent shall be in writing to the institution’s director of athletics. (Adopted: 1/11/94; Revised: /10/95,1/14/97 effective 4/16/97, 4/24/03 effective 8/1/03 for student-athletes entering a collegiate institution on or after 8/1/03)

12.2.4.2.2 Exception—Professional Basketball Draft—Two-year College Prospective Student-Athlete.

A prospective student-athlete enrolled at a two-year collegiate institution in basketball may enter a professional league’s draft one time during his or her collegiate career without jeopardizing eligibility in that sport, provided the prospective student-athlete is not drafted by any team in that league. (Adopted:4/24/03 effective 8/1/03; for student-athletes entering a collegiate institution on or after 8/1/03)

12.2.4.2.3 Exception—Football. [FBS/FCS] In football, an enrolled student-athlete (as opposed to a prospective student-athlete) football may enter the National Football League draft one time during his collegiate career without jeopardizing eligibility in that sport, provided the student-athlete is not drafted by any team in that league and the student-athlete declares his intention to resume intercollegiate participation within 72-hours following the National Football League draft declaration date. The student-athlete’s declaration of intent shall be in writing to the institution’s director of athletics. (Adopted: 10/31/02; Revised: 4/14/03, 12/15/06)

12.2.4.2.4 Exception—Sports Other Than Basketball and Football An enrolled student-athlete in a sport other than basketball or football may enter a professional league’s draft one time during his or her collegiate career without jeopardizing his or her eligibility in the applicable sport, provided the student-athlete is not drafted and within 72 hours following the draft he or she declares his or her intention to resume participation in intercollegiate athletics. The student-athlete’s declaration of intent shall be in writing to the institution’s director of athletics. (Adopted: 4/26/07 effective 8/1/07)

12.2.4.3 Negotiations. An individual may request information about professional market value without affecting his or her amateur status. Further, the individual, his or her legal guardians or the institution’s professional sports counseling panel may enter into negotiations with a professional sports organization without the loss of the individual’s amateur status. An individual who retains an agent shall lose amateur status. (Adopted:1/10/92)

12.2.5 Contracts and Compensation. An individual shall be ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if he or she has entered into any kind of agreement to compete in professional athletics, either orally or in writing, regardless of the legal enforceability of that agreement. (Revised: 1/10/92) 

12.2.5.1 Nonbinding Agreement. An individual who signs a contract or commitment that does not become binding until the professional organization’s representative or agent also signs the document is ineligible, even if the contract remains unsigned by the other parties until after the student-athlete’s eligibility is exhausted.

12.3 USE OF AGENTS

12.3.1 General Rule. An individual shall be ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if he or she ever has agreed (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing his or her athletics ability or reputation in that sport. Further, an agency contract not specifically limited in writing to a sport or particular sports shall be deemed applicable to all sports, and the individual shall be ineligible to participate in any sport.

12.3.1.1 Representation for Future Negotiations. An individual shall be ineligible per Bylaw 12.3.1 if he or she enters into a verbal or written agreement with an agent for representation in future professional sports negotiations that are to take place after the individual has completed his or her eligibility in that sport.

12.3.1.2 Benefits from Prospective Agents. An individual shall be ineligible per Bylaw 12.3.1 if he or she (or his or her relatives or friends) accepts transportation or other benefits from: (Revised: 1/14/97)

 (a) Any person who represents any individual in the marketing of his or her athletics ability. The receipt of such expenses constitutes compensation based on athletics skill and is an extra benefit not available to the student body in general; or

(b) An agent, even if the agent has indicated that he or she has no interest in representing the student-athlete in the marketing of his or her athletics ability or reputation and does not represent individuals in the student-athlete’s sport. (Adopted: 1/14/97)

12.3.2 Legal Counsel. Securing advice from a lawyer concerning a proposed professional sports contract shall not be considered contracting for representation by an agent under this rule, unless the lawyer also represents the individual in negotiations for such a contract.

12.3.2.1 Presence of a Lawyer at Negotiations. A lawyer may not be present during discussions of a contract offer with a professional organization or have any direct contact (in person, by telephone or by mail) with a professional sports organization on behalf of the individual. A lawyer’s presence during such discussions is considered representation by an agent.

12.3.3 Athletics Scholarship Agent. Any individual, agency or organization that represents a prospective student-athlete for compensation in placing the prospective student-athlete in a collegiate institution as a recipient of institutional financial aid shall be considered an agent or organization marketing the individual’s athletics ability or reputation.

12.3.3.1 Talent Evaluation Services and Agents. A prospective student-athlete may allow a scouting service or agent to distribute personal information (e.g., high school academic and athletics records, physical statistics) to member institutions without jeopardizing his or her eligibility, provided the fee paid to such an agent is not based on placing the prospective student-athlete in a collegiate institution as a recipient of institutional financial aid.

12.3.4 Professional Sports Counseling Panel. It is permissible for an authorized institutional professional sports counseling panel to:

(a) Advise a student-athlete about a future professional career;

(b) Provide direction on securing a loan for the purpose of purchasing insurance against a disabling injury; (Adopted:1/16/93)

(c) Review a proposed professional sports contract;

(d) Meet with the student-athlete and representatives of professional teams;

(e) Communicate directly (e.g., in-person, by mail or telephone) with representatives of a professional athletics team to assist in securing a tryout with that team for a student-athlete; (Adopted: 1/11/94)

(f ) Assist the student-athlete in the selection of an agent by participating with the student-athlete in interviews of agents, by reviewing written information player agents send to the student-athlete and by having direct communication with those individuals who can comment about the abilities of an agent (e.g., other agents, a professional league’s players’ association); and (Adopted: 1/11/94)

(g) Visit with player agents or representatives of professional athletics teams to assist the student-athlete in determining his or her market value (e.g., potential salary, draft status). (Adopted: 1/11/94)

12.3.4.1 Appointment by President or Chancellor. This panel shall consist of at least three persons appointed by the institution’s president or chancellor (or his or her designated representative from outside the athletics department). (Revised: 3/8/06)

12.3.4.2 Composition. The majority of panel members shall be full-time employees outside of the institution’s athletics department. No more than one panel member may be an athletics department staff member.

No sports agent or any person employed by a sports agent or agency may be a member of the panel.

All panel members shall be identified to the NCAA national office. (Revised: 1/11/94, 1/10/05)

source: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/stan/genrel/auto_pdf/2007-08_d1_manual.pdf

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