COMPLIANCE CORNER
// T O D D H A I R S T O N
MASCOTS AND NCAA RECRUITING
TODD HAIRSTON SENIOR A S S O C I AT E AT H L E T I C DIRECTOR, COMPLIANCE
One of the goals of any campus recruiting activity is to provide recruits with a slice of what life is like on a college campus. Nothing embodies the college experience more than athletic events, and whether it’s a wolf, a ram, a devil or our beloved Demon Deacon, nothing helps create the game day experience quite like our mascots. For this reason, it has become more prevalent in recent years for coaches to involve mascots in their campus recruiting activities. However, this practice began to come into question in light of NCAA rules that prohibit prospects from being involved in game day simulations. The use of mascots, as well as cheerleaders and pep bands, is not permissible if their
involvement recreates a typical pre or post game experience. Likewise, some schools have also employed the presence of mascots at off-campus locations where recruits are present. After reviewing the practice, the NCAA academic and membership affairs staff recently determined that it is not permissible for any mascot (live or in costume) to be present during an off-campus recruiting contact or evaluation. While creating legislation around such an issue may seem somewhat extreme, it does illustrate the lengths to which schools will go to gain a recruiting advantage, as well as the efforts the NCAA will undertake to create a level playing field for recruiting.
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