TicketsDear Local Supporters,
In recent years, the NCAA has investigated several intercollegiate athletics programs across the country due to allegations that local establishments were providing “extra benefits” to currently enrolled student-athletes. As this has proven to be an ongoing problem for the NCAA, we believe it is important to inform all local businesses near our campus of the consequences that could result from the provision of benefits to student-athletes and/or their families and friends.
If members of any of our athletics teams and/or their families or friends patronize your establishment, we ask that you accommodate them as you would any other customer. The NCAA prohibits student-athletes and their families and friends from accepting any items or services for free or at a reduced cost from businesses, unless such an offer is available to the general public and/or student body at large. Additionally, student-athletes are expressly prohibited from bartering items they may have received for their athletics participation (e.g., jerseys/apparel, rings, autographs, sports equipment, etc.). Consequently, involvement by student-athletes or their families or friends in any of the above activities would violate NCAA rules and, therefore, jeopardize the student-athletes’ eligibility for intercollegiate athletics competition.
In addition, there may be occasions in which a current student-athlete seeks employment by your business. NCAA regulations permit you to employ student-athletes at any time (e.g., academic year, summer, vacation periods) under certain guidelines. Student-athletes may only be compensated (1) for work actually performed and (2) at a rate that is commensurate with the going rate for similar services in the locality. It is not permissible to pay the student-athlete for the value he/she has to you, as the employer, due to the student-athlete’s reputation, fame, or following. In addition, each of our athletics departments has monitoring programs for student-athlete employment. If you believe you are employing a current student-athlete or have questions about the NCAA rules, please contact the Compliance Office at the appropriate school for more information.
Finally, it is important to address the topic of promotional activities and appearance requests. Due to the fact that our teams compete at the highest level in intercollegiate athletics, our student-athletes often become well-known and revered in the community. Please remember that a student-athlete’s name, picture, or appearance cannot be used by a business to sell or promote a commercial product/service. In addition, game footage from our events cannot be used in any commercial advertisements without first contacting the athletics department to obtain permission.
Through ongoing education initiatives, our student-athletes are knowledgeable of NCAA rules and state laws that govern their activities. We expect our student-athletes to comply with these regulations. By accepting responsibility for understanding and following NCAA rules, you help us maintain our position of athletic prominence, both on and off the field. If you have any questions, either now or in the future, please do not hesitate to contact our compliance offices. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for helping us to protect both the eligibility and well-being of our student-athletes and the integrity of our institutions.
Sincerely,
Trever Wright
Assistant AD/Compliance
Trever.wright@uc.edu
In recent years, the NCAA has investigated several intercollegiate athletics programs across the country due to allegations that local establishments were providing “extra benefits” to currently enrolled student-athletes. As this has proven to be an ongoing problem for the NCAA, we believe it is important to inform all local businesses near our campus of the consequences that could result from the provision of benefits to student-athletes and/or their families and friends.
If members of any of our athletics teams and/or their families or friends patronize your establishment, we ask that you accommodate them as you would any other customer. The NCAA prohibits student-athletes and their families and friends from accepting any items or services for free or at a reduced cost from businesses, unless such an offer is available to the general public and/or student body at large. Additionally, student-athletes are expressly prohibited from bartering items they may have received for their athletics participation (e.g., jerseys/apparel, rings, autographs, sports equipment, etc.). Consequently, involvement by student-athletes or their families or friends in any of the above activities would violate NCAA rules and, therefore, jeopardize the student-athletes’ eligibility for intercollegiate athletics competition.
In addition, there may be occasions in which a current student-athlete seeks employment by your business. NCAA regulations permit you to employ student-athletes at any time (e.g., academic year, summer, vacation periods) under certain guidelines. Student-athletes may only be compensated (1) for work actually performed and (2) at a rate that is commensurate with the going rate for similar services in the locality. It is not permissible to pay the student-athlete for the value he/she has to you, as the employer, due to the student-athlete’s reputation, fame, or following. In addition, each of our athletics departments has monitoring programs for student-athlete employment. If you believe you are employing a current student-athlete or have questions about the NCAA rules, please contact the Compliance Office at the appropriate school for more information.
Finally, it is important to address the topic of promotional activities and appearance requests. Due to the fact that our teams compete at the highest level in intercollegiate athletics, our student-athletes often become well-known and revered in the community. Please remember that a student-athlete’s name, picture, or appearance cannot be used by a business to sell or promote a commercial product/service. In addition, game footage from our events cannot be used in any commercial advertisements without first contacting the athletics department to obtain permission.
Through ongoing education initiatives, our student-athletes are knowledgeable of NCAA rules and state laws that govern their activities. We expect our student-athletes to comply with these regulations. By accepting responsibility for understanding and following NCAA rules, you help us maintain our position of athletic prominence, both on and off the field. If you have any questions, either now or in the future, please do not hesitate to contact our compliance offices. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for helping us to protect both the eligibility and well-being of our student-athletes and the integrity of our institutions.
Sincerely,
Trever Wright
Assistant AD/Compliance
Trever.wright@uc.edu