9.22.11 | Compliance
Sept. 22, 2011
Educational Column:
NCAA Division I institutions should note that an institution may produce a printed media guide; however, an institution shall not provide a printed media guide or any printed athletics publication not listed in NCAA Bylaw 13.4.1.1 to a prospective student-athlete, his or her parents or legal guardians, the prospective student-athlete's educational institution or any individual involved in the coaching of a prospective student-athlete. However, an institution may provide a media guide to a prospective student athlete via electronic mail, hyperlink or post the media guide on its website.
Further, it is not permissible to make a printed media guide or any other printed athletics publication not listed in Bylaw 13.4.1.1 available free of charge to a prospective student-athlete, his or her parents or legal guardians, the prospective student-athlete's educational institution or any individual involved in the coaching of a prospective student-athlete, even if such publications are available to other members or the general public free of charge. Finally, an institution may not create a printed portfolio of information (e.g., pictures) to be used in the recruiting process.
The following questions and answers are designed to assist the Division I membership with the application of this legislation. Please note that when a prospective student-athlete is referenced it also includes his or her parents or legal guardians, the prospective student-athlete's educational institution or any individual involved in the coaching of a prospective student-athlete.
Question No. 1: May an institution produce more than one media guide?
Answer: No. Institutions may have only one official media guide per sport; that being the publication that is provided to the media and related to the institution's sports program.
Question No. 2: If an institution produces a printed media guide, do the color, size and page restrictions apply?
Answer: Yes. A printed media guide remains limited to only one color of print inside the cover, a size not in excess of 8 ½ by 11 inches and a length of 208 pages. Any supplemental information (e.g., historical information, records) related to the media guide may be posted on the institution's website, printed in black and white and provided to the media.
Question No. 3: May an institution produce additional athletics publications (e.g., spring football prospectus, yearbook) and provide them to prospective student-athletes?
Answer: If an institution produces an additional athletics publication pursuant to Bylaw 13.4.1.3, posts the publication on the institution's website and it was not created for recruiting purposes, it may be sent to a prospective student-athlete via electronic mail as an attachment or a hyperlink. Further, such information may be printed on plain white paper with black ink and provided to a prospective student-athlete as an attachment to general correspondence, via facsimile or during a permissible
on- or off-campus contact.
Question No. 4: If an institution produces a printed media guide, does the electronic version that is provided to prospective student-athletes have to be an exact reproduction of the printed media guide?
Answer: Yes. The electronic version of an institution's printed media guide must be an exact reproduction of the printed media guide.
Question No. 5: If an institution only produces an electronic media guide, do the color, size and page restrictions apply?
Answer: No, the color, size and page restrictions are not applicable if an institution only produces an electronic media guide.
Question No. 6: May an institution provide a printed media guide that is not created for recruiting purposes to a prospective student-athlete?
Answer: Regardless of whether a printed media guide is created for recruiting purposes, it is not permissible to provide it to a prospective student-athlete. It is also not permissible to print an electronic version of a media guide and provide it to a prospective student-athlete regardless of whether it is created for recruiting purposes.
Question No. 7: If an institution contracts with a third party to produce its printed media guides, is it permissible for a prospective student-athlete to receive a printed media guide from the third party free of charge?
Answer: No. The third party is acting on behalf of the institution to produce the printed media guide; therefore, it is not permissible for a prospective student-athlete to receive a printed media guide from the third party free of charge.
Question No. 8: If an institution sells its printed media guides to the general public (e.g., at the institution's bookstore), is it permissible for a prospective student-athlete to purchase a copy of the printed media guide?
Answer: Yes. Provided the media guide is purchased in the same manner and at the same cost as is available to the general public, it is permissible for a prospective student-athlete to purchase a printed media guide from the institution.
[References: NCAA Division I Bylaws 13.4.1 (recruiting materials); 13.4.1.1 (printed recruiting materials); 13.4.1.1.2 (athletics publication); 13.4.1.1.2.1 (media guide restrictions); 13.4.1.2 (electronic transmissions); 13.4.1.3 (other recruiting materials) and staff interpretation (7/6/10 Item No. 1) which has been archived]
