Clarification on any of these statements, feel free to email Brad Bertani at
bbertani@utk.edu or call the UT Compliance Office.
Following is word for word those areas documented in the Guidebook to NCAA Rules for Alumni, Faculty and Friends of Volunteer Athletics sent to me by UTAD.
Under section Representatives of Athletic Interests
A representative of an institutions athletics interests is anyone who is known (or should be known) by a member of the institutions athletic administration to:
1. Be a member of or have participated in any organization promoting the institutions intercollegiate athletics program (i.e. booster club).
2. Have made any financial contribution to the institutions intercollegiate athletics program or to an athletic booster organization.
3. Have provided benefits to enrolled student-athletes
4. Have assisted in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes.
5. Have been involved, in any way, in the promotion of the Universitys athletics program.
Under section Rules Governing Recruiting and Extra Benefits
1. Only coaches and institutional staff members may be involved in the recruiting process. All athletics representatives who are not employees of the University of Tennessee are prohibited from contacting a prospect by telephone, letter or in-person, on or off campus, for the purpose of encouraging participation in athletics at the University of Tennessee
2. It is not permissible for prospects, student-athletes or their relatives and friends to receive any extra benefits or special arrangements. Examples of extra benefits that you cannot provide to these individuals include, but are not limited to:
a. Cash or loans in any amount
b. Cosigning or arranging a loan
c. Providing gifts of any kind (i.e. clothing, airline tickets or holiday cards)
d. Providing special discount for goods and services
e. Use of an automobile
3. As an athletics representative, you may continue friendships that pre-existed prior to an individual becoming a prospective student-athlete and developed outside of athletics. You simply cannot encourage a prospects participation in UT athletics or provide benefits to a student-athlete
4. Do not purchase complimentary admissions to UT athletics events from current UT student-athletes.
Under section Rules Governing Contacts with Prospects.
Note: A prospect is a person who has started classes for the ninth grade.
1. Do not telephone, write (including chat rooms and e-mails), or make in-person contact (either on or off campus) with a prospect for the purpose of soliciting his participation in the athletics program.
2. Do not become directly or indirectly involved with making arrangements for a prospect, the prospects relatives or friends to receive money or financial aid of any kind.
3. Do not provide transportation to prospects, including transportation to campus to attend athletic events.
4. Do not contact a prospective student-athletes coach, principal or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the prospect, and do not visit the prospects educational institution to pick up films or transcripts.
5. DO not provide free or reduced cost tickets to any UT home or away events to prospects, their relatives or friends.
6. DO not pay or offer to pay registration fees for summer sports camps for a prospect.
7. Do feel free to attend high school and community college athletic events that you would usually attend. You simply cannot have any contact with the prospect or relatives of the prospect. Should the parents or a prospect ask you questions, pleae direct their questions to the appropriate coach at UT.
Under section Consequences of NCAA Violations
Institutions are required by the NCAA to notify boosters of consequences regarding rules violations. Boosters participation in non-permissible activities outlines by the NCAA could result in any of the following:
1. A prospect being declared ineligible to represent the University of Tennessee.
2. A student-athlete being declared ineligible to compete for the University of Tennessee.
3. An entire team being declared ineligible to compete in SEC or NCAA competition.
4. Disassociation of booster with the institution and the loss of season ticket privileges.
At the bottom of each page, it says Ask Before You Act. Most of this is still interpretive language. If you wish clarification, encourage you to ask in the UT Compliance Office.
. people need to get their confidence up
