Representative of Athletic Interests |
The NCAA defines a "representative of athletics interests" as an individual who is known (or should have been known) by a member of the institution’s executive or athletics administration to:
- Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization, including corporate entities (e.g., apparel and equipment companies), promoting the institution's intercollegiate athletics program;
- Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution;
- Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes;
- Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
- Have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution's athletics program.
Once an individual has been identified as a representative of athletic insterests, the person retains that identity for life.
Am I a booster? |
Have you ever?:
- Been a member of a booster organization that supports Carson-Newman Athletics?
- Have you made a financial contribution to the athletic department, Eagle Club or specific sport?
- Are or have you ever been involved with the recruitment of a prospect?
- Have you provided or are providing benefits to an enrolled student-athlete or their relatives or friends?
- Have otherwise been involved in promoting C-N athletics?
- Provided or have help to arrange employment for student-athletes?
- Been the parents or legal guardians of an enrolled student-athlete?
- Been or ever been a season ticket holder?
If you answered yes to any of these questions then you are a representative of athletic interests – booster.
What is an extra benefit? |
Fans and boosters may not provide anything to prospects or currently enrolled student-athletes, or their families, without prior approval from the C-N Athletic Compliance Office.
If a student-athlete and/or his or her family accept any benefits of special consideration (transportation, clothing, money, meals, etc) based on their athletic skill, the student-athlete jeopardizes his or her eligibility and Carson-Newman will be subject to NCAA penalties.
Extra benefits can include, but are not limited to:
- Money, gifts, clothing, tickets for entertainment, haircuts and use of a car
- Free or reduced cost room or board anywhere
- Free or reduced cost merchandise anywhere
- Use of athletics department copy/fax machines, long distance telephone services or free use of a cell phone.
- Typing or editing reports. Papers, letters, etc. for a student-athlete.
- A loan of money or the cosigning of a note to arrange a loan. The sale or trade of complimentary admissions for merchandize, services or debt repayment.
- The sale or trade of any items a student-athlete has received for his or her participation in athletics.
Please note, this is not an exhaustive list. Please refrain from offering prospects and/or current student-athletes and their families and friends anything that is not available to all students or the general public.
As a booster, what can I do to help C-N athletics? |
You may:
- Attend as many athletic events as you like.
- Call, write, or send newspaper articles to the C-N coaching staff regarding outstanding student-athletes.
- Offer assistance to the C-N coaching staff who are recruiting your area.
- Attend a public event, but may not have pre-arranged contact with prospects.
As a booster, what can I not do? |
You may not:
- Recruit players to C-N.
- Tweet or Facebook recruits.
- Contact recruits by telephone, email or in person.
- Visit recruits at home.
- Provide meals to student-athletes, unless you have received permission from C-N Compliance (including holiday meals, tailgate meals before games, etc.).
- Let student-athletes or prospects stay at your house or borrow your car.