Clemson Compliance Corner

Clemson Compliance Corner - NCAA Rules Covering Recruiting Inducements

Please remember, as an IPTAY member, you are considered a representative of an institution’s athletics interests (i.e., booster) for Clemson University. As such, the NCAA has strict guidelines concerning boosters and their relationship with prospective student-athletes (i.e., generally 9^th – 12^th graders or any other unofficial visitors, prep school students, and junior college student-athletes). In Men’s Basketball and Softball, prospects include 7th and 8th graders, too. Accordingly, under NCAA rules, boosters should not be providing the following to prospects and/or their family or friends:

• Free or discounted service to prospects that the general population would not also receive (e.g., free/discounted meals at restaurants, free/discounted rooms at hotels, free/discounted cars at dealerships, free/discounted rent at apartment buildings, free/discounted tickets for events).
• Prospects should always pay the going rate for any services they are provided.
• If prospects are employed at your place of business, they should be paid the going rate for work actually performed and should have obtained the employment through a standard selection process with no preferential treatment given to them due to their status as a prospective student-athlete.

However, there is certain flexibility afforded by NCAA rules to boosters if they have a preexisting relationship with a prospect. To meet the NCAA standard for a preexisting relationship, at a minimum, the following must be met:

• Relationship predates prospect’s athletics participation.
• Relationship predates the recruit’s status as a prospective student-athlete (i.e., generally 9^th – 12^th graders, other unofficial visitors, prep school students, and junior college student-athletes). In Men’s Basketball and Softball, prospects include 7th and 8th graders, too.
• Relationship predates prospect’s status achieved as a result of athletics ability or reputation.

If the preexisting relationship test is passed, there may be flexibility afforded to the IPTAY member. However, there is significant risk in this area that could affect the eligibility of prospective student-athletes if they were to enroll at Clemson, so it is imperative we all do nothing to run contrary to NCAA rules in this area.

Please continue to Ask Before You Act and always feel free to contact Clemson University Athletics Compliance Services with any questions at cuacs@clemson.edu. Thank you for your continued support of Clemson Athletics!