NCAA RULES EDUCATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA Florida A&M University (FAMU) Athletics All questions can be directed to Faydre Hawkins-‐Brown or Stephanie Thompson in the Compliance office: (850) 599-‐3868. INTRODUCTION Please familiarize yourself with these NCAA rules and always remember to ask before you act. Even though you are not an institutional staff member, your actions can have negative consequences that may follow for the institution, a student-‐athlete, and/or a prospective student-‐athlete, depending on the facts of the violation. Furthermore, if you have a press credential and your actions violate the terms of use for that press credential, then Florida A&M University Athletics retains the right to terminate or restrict your use of that press credential. One of the conditions for the use of a press credential is this: “Credentialed media members must adhere to NCAA rules and any NCAA violations are grounds for the revoking of a credential. Specifically, contact with prospective student-‐athletes is strictly prohibited on the FAMU campus.” WANT THE PARTICIPATION OF A STUDENT-‐ATHLETE, COACH OR STAFFER FOR YOUR ARTICLE/SEGMENT? Contact FAMU Athletics at (850) 599-‐3736 or vaughn.wilson@famu.edu. YOU MAY NOT RECRUIT FOR FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY The only way that your contact and communication with prospects, their relatives, friends and coaches is permissible is if you are doing so as a member of the media and are contacting a recruit for the purpose of gathering information/reporting, not to recruit the prospect or influence the decisions of the prospect. If you are a member of the media who is also a former student of Florida A&M University, a donor to one or more Florida A&M University athletics booster groups, or otherwise qualify as a representative of FAMU Athletics (i.e., a booster), it is especially important for you to act in a professional manner when interacting with prospects or their relatives, coaches, or friends for purposes of gathering information so that you not give off the appearance of someone who is acting as a fan/booster. If you recruit prospects for Florida A&M University, or you or your organization promote Florida A&M University’s athletics programs to prospects or their relatives, then you have or will become a booster of Florida A&M University (even if you did not attend FAMU and do not donate to it). The NCAA might hold the institution responsible for your actions, and your actions might render the involved prospects ineligible for competition at Florida A&M University. In short, do not attempt to persuade (through communication or other means) prospects, their relatives, friends, or coaches on whether they should or should not attend Florida A&M University (or any other institution).
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NO COMMENT ON PROSPECTS Prior to a prospect’s signing with Florida A&M University, neither Florida A&M University staff, coaches, or student-‐athletes may comment to the media (on the record or off the record) about ANY prospect (even those who have yet to begin high school), except to respond to such an inquiry confirmation/denial of recruitment. Therefore, please do not ask them about prospects that have yet to sign with Florida A&M University. For example, if a prospect signed with another institution, do not ask a Florida A&M University coach to comment about that prospect. Furthermore, NCAA Bylaw 13.10.2.1.1 specifically prohibits staff members at NCAA member institutions from evaluating or rating prospects for news media, scouting services or recruiting services, regardless of whether such comments are made on-‐ or off the record. NO MEDIA CONTACT WITH PROSPECTS DURING RECRUITING CONTACTS, VISITS An NCAA Division I member institution may not permit a reporter, journalist or other media entity to be present during any on-‐ or off-‐campus recruiting contact, or telephone call between a Florida A&M University coach and a prospective student-‐ athlete, prospective student-‐athlete’s relative, or prospective student-‐athlete’s coach. INFO FOR BROADCASTERS OF NCAA DIVISION I COMPETITIONS NCAA Bylaw 13.10.2.2.2 prohibits a prospective student-‐athlete from being interviewed during the broadcast or telecast of an institution's intercollegiate contest. Furthermore, a member institution may not permit the showing of video of competition involving high school, preparatory school, or two-‐year college prospective student-‐athletes during the broadcast of an NCAA Division I competition. MEDIA PRESENCE AT INSTITUTIONAL CAMPS OR CLINICS NCAA Division I institutions may not arrange for the media, including recruiting or scouting services, to be present at an institutional camp or clinic. This includes inviting members of the media to attend camps/clinics, or providing special access (e.g., access to areas not open to the general public) for the media to observe, meet, or otherwise interact with prospective student-‐athletes. Further, members of the media who are present at an institutional camp or clinic may be positioned only in areas open to the general public. DO NOT INTERVIEW NCAA MEMBER INSTITUTIONS’ COACHES WHEN... Do not attempt to interview NCAA Division I coaches when they are present at prospects’ athletic events (e.g., high school competitions, non-‐scholastic sport tournaments); the NCAA may treat an interview granted in that context as a violation of NCAA publicity regulations. NO EMBED STORIES Do not request that you be granted permission to have all-‐access for a story. The nature of NCAA rules and federal laws regarding students’ rights to privacy in their educational
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records means that granting such unrestricted access could result in violations of NCAA rules and/or the Federal Educational Right to Privacy Act; therefore, Florida A&M University will deny requests for such all-‐access/embed stories. NO ACCOMPANYING A COACH WHEN S/HE RECRUITS NCAA Bylaw 13.10.1 states that an NCAA Division I member institution shall not permit a media entity to be present during any recruiting contact made by an institution’s coaching staff member. When NCAA Division I coaches recruit, they often have contact with prospective student-‐athletes, as well as prospects’ relatives, friends, and coaches. If a reporter were present during such a recruiting contact with the consent of the NCAA Division I coach, a violation would result from such action. INTERVIEWS TO, ARTICLES FOR, ENDORSEMENTS OF RECRUITING/SCOUTING SERVICES NCAA Division I coaches and staff may grant interviews to recruiting or scouting services, but they may not discuss prospects who have not signed with or been admitted to their institution. NCAA Division I coaches and staff are also prohibited from serving as consultants for, sitting on boards of, promoting, or endorsing recruiting/scouting services or publications/media outlets that report primarily on an NCAA member institution’s athletics interests. TV/RADIO/PODCASTS/FILMS Do not put an NCAA Division I coach or athletics staff member on the same show as a prospect or a prospect’s coach. NCAA Bylaw 13.10.2.2 states that NCAA Division I institutions shall not permit a prospect or prospect’s coach to appear, be interviewed or otherwise be involved (in person or via film, audio tape or videotape) on a program in which the institution's coach is participating. QUID PRO QUO Individuals who report on Florida A&M University Athletics should not accept (nor should Florida A&M University Athletics staff offer or provide) any special benefit or service not available to the general public or to other reporters, per Bylaw 16.11.2.1. Accepting such services or benefits creates an air of impropriety that undermines the individual’s status as a member of the media. EXTRA BENEFITS/PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT Unless you are a relative of a student-‐athlete or prospective student-‐athlete, do not provide a student-‐athlete or prospective student-‐athlete (or his/her relatives or friends) with any benefit unless the benefit is specifically authorized by the NCAA or is available to the general student body or general public. If a prospective student-‐athlete or current student-‐athlete (or his/her relatives or friends) accepts a benefit unauthorized by the NCAA from a member of the media, the prospective student-‐athlete or student-‐ athlete will be rendered ineligible, regardless of whether the member of the media is a booster at the time of the provision of the impermissible benefit. Furthermore, please
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note that this restriction continues to apply even after a student-‐athlete exhausts his/her eligibility. Refer student-‐athletes or their relatives who express financial or other need to Florida A&M University Athletics Compliance. The student-‐athlete or prospective student-‐athlete may qualify for access to the NCAA Opportunity Fund or an incidental expense waiver. Always remember that even if a prospective student-‐athlete or current student-‐athlete re-‐pays the provider of the impermissible benefit, the provision of the benefit remains a violation.
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