NCAA DI Board of Directors Releases New NIL Guidelines for Member Schools

Division I schools received clarification Wednesday about their participation in NIL events, including the rules for dealing with booster teams.

The DI Board of Directors voted unanimously to issue new guidelines for member schools that includes a non-exhaustive list of what is and is not acceptable.

“The NIL landscape is constantly evolving, and the Board of Directors felt it was important to offer additional guidance on a number of key issues that have arisen recently,” said University of Georgia President and Board Chair Jere Morehead. the statement said. “As we continue to strengthen the NCAA’s current rules, we expect that in the future we will provide additional guidance on the dos and don’ts of participating in these activities. We are committed to creating a fair and appropriate NIL environment that supports our students and complies with our rules.”

The council reminded schools that they can and should teach students about ZERO in areas such as financial literacy and taxes. They may also inform athletes of potential opportunities or liaise between athletes and donors (or teams), although they may not negotiate on behalf of the player or team. School employees are not allowed to work in or own a team.

Schools are also allowed to ask donors to contribute to the team if the school does not direct funds to a specific sport or athlete. Other examples of acceptable behavior include arranging a venue on campus for an athlete-college meeting, and retweeting an athlete’s NIL activity. Schools are not permitted to provide pro bono services (graphic designers, tax preparation or contract review) to athletes unless those services are available to students.

The new NIL leadership does not change the NCAA rules; it aims to clarify and contextualize these existing rules in a largely unregulated space. Many coaches and athletic directors have publicly expressed their opinion that it is being used as a recruiting incentive for both high school prospects and transfer players. NCAA enforcement officials have launched an investigation into alleged rule violations in the space, but so far no school has been disciplined.

On Wednesday, the board also passed a proposal for new charges regarding possible NIL violations.

“When information available to law enforcement officials indicates misconduct, law enforcement officials and the Infractions Committee will deem a violation to have occurred unless the school clearly demonstrates that the conduct in question is consistent with existing NCAA rules and interim policies.” , – wrote.

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