Thursday, January 8, 2015

NCAA Recruiting & Boosters

Alumni & Boosters:  whatever I said about agents below, well, double that for boosters. 

Inducements are illegal. Money, cars, gifts, family housing, hell, a free taco lunch to talk about your son’s athletic future is off the table when it comes to boosters and the recruiting of prospective student-athletes.  And pretty much every program has a “Buddy Garrity” somewhere close by.

Under NCAA bylaws, boosters are prohibited from recruiting high school athletes both before and after a National Letter of Intent is signed.  And any recruiting violation by a booster is attributed to the school.

And the NCAA bylaws are unforgiving - under § 13.02.14.1, once an individual or entity is classified as a university’s “representative of athletic interests,” aka “booster,” they are considered a booster for life!  There is no coming back from Boosterville.  Beware Boosterville.