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Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college From: SCHMIDT@LSTC2VM.stortek.com (Jon Schmidt) Subject: Letter of Intent Rules Message-ID: <16B5DAF22.SCHMIDT@LSTC2VM.stortek.com> Organization: StorageTek SW Engineering Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 19:27:11 GMT Lines: 208

This year the National Letter of Intent program has selected February 3 as its initial signing date for the sport of football. The NCAA's recruiting rules regarding the signing of a letter of intent have been changing recently. This, coupled with the fact that many coaches just love to brag to the media about their recruiting coups, makes this time of year a golden opportunity to observe violations (however minor) of NCAA recruiting rules. And the best part is that these violations will frequently occur right in front of your eyes on TV during interviews and press conferences! Of course, if you don't know the rules you won't catch the violations and will miss out on all the fun.

So, with this in mind, I've listed below most of the NCAA's rules which are pertinent to the signing of a letter of intent to play football. Happy hunting!

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13.02 DEFINITIONS AND APPLICATIONS <abridged>

13.02.4.4 Dead Period. A dead period is that period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the member institution's campus or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospects to the institution's campus. During such a dead period, a coaching staff member may not serve as a speaker at or attend a meeting or banquet at which prospects are in attendance and may not visit the prospects' educational institutions. It remains permissible, hovever, for an institutional staff member to write or telephone prospects during such a dead period.

13.02.7 National Letter of Intent. The National Letter of Intent referred to in this bylaw is the official document administered by the Collegiate Commissioners Association and utilized by subscribing member institutions to establish the commitment of a prospect to attend a particular institution. ________________________________________________________________________

13.1 CONTACTS AND EVALUATIONS <abridged>

FIGURE 13-5 Division I Football Recruiting Calendar <abridged>

Start Date End Date Recruiting Period February 1 (8 a.m.) February 5 (8 a.m.) Dead

FIGURE 13-6 Division II Football Recruiting Calendar <abridged>

February 1 at 8 a.m. through February 3, at 8 a.m.: Dead Period

13.1.2.7.2 Prospect's Signed Commitment. In Division I-A football, the head football coach shall not be present when an off-campus site is utilized to obtain a prospect's signature on a National Letter of Intent or a prospect's signed acceptance of the institution's financial aid offer.

13.1.5.2.1 Activity During Letter-of-Intent Dead Period. An institutional staff member may not hand deliver a letter of intent during the dead period surrounding the initial date for signing a letter of intent. The letter may be delivered by express mail, courier service, regular mail or facsimile machine during this period. ________________________________________________________________________

13.10 LETTER-OF-INTENT PROGRAMS, FINANCIAL AID AGREEMENTS

13.10.1 General Restrictions. A member institution may not participate in an institutional or conference athletics letter-of-intent program or issue an institutional or conference financial aid agreement that involves a signing date that precedes the initial regular (as opposed to early) signing date for the National Letter of Intent program in the same sport.

13.10.1.1 Mailing of Financial Aid Offer. An institutional or conference financial aid form may be included in the normal mailing of the National Letter of Intent, but none of the forms enclosed in the mailing may be signed by the prospect prior to the initial signing date in that sport in the National Letter of Intent program.

13.10.1.2 Offer of Aid Prior to Signing Date. An institution may indicate in writing to a prospect that an athletically related grant-in-aid will be offered by the institution; however, the institution may not permit the prospect to sign a form indicating his or her acceptance of such an award prior to the initial signing date in that sport in the National Letter of Intent program.

13.10.2 Division III Letter-of-Intent Prohibition. A Division III institution, or one that competes in a sport in Division III, shall not utilize any form of a letter of intent or similar form of commitment in the recruitment of a prospect in a sport classified in Division III. However, it shall be permissible for the institution to utilize in the recruitment of a prospect its preenrollment forms executed by prospective students in general at that institution. ________________________________________________________________________

13.11 PUBLICITY

13.11.1 Comments Prior to Signing. Prior to the signing of a prospect to a National Letter of Intent or institutional tender of financial aid, a member institution may comment publicly only to the extent of confirming its recruitment of the prospect. The institution may not comment generally about the prospect's ability or the contribution that the prospect might make to the institution's team; further, the institution is precluded from commenting in any manner as to the likelihood of the prospect's signing with that institution.

13.11.1.1 Evaluations for Media, Recruiting Services. Athletics department staff members shall not evaluate or rate a prospect for news media, scouting services or recruiting services prior to the prospect's signed acceptance of the institution's written offer of admission as a student and/or written tender of financial assistance to be provided upon the prospect's enrollment.

13.11.2 Radio/TV Show. A member institution shall not permit a prospect or a high-school, college preparatory school or two-year college coach to appear, be interviewed or otherwise be involved (in person or via film, audio tape or videotape) on: (a) A radio or television program conducted by the institution's coach; (b) A program in which the institution's coach is participating, or (c) A program for which a member of the institution's athletics staff has been instrumental in arranging for the appearance of the prospect or coach or related program material.

13.11.2.1 Announcer for High-School Broadcast. A member of the athletics staff of a member institution may not serve as an announcer or commentator for a high-school, college preparatory school or two-year college contest, or appear (in person or by means of film, audio tape or videotape) on a radio or television broadcast of such contest.

13.11.2.2 Game Broadcast/Telecast. A prospect may not be interviewed during the broadcast or telecast of an institution's intercollegiate contest. A member institution may not permit a station telecasting a game to show a videotape of competition involving high-school, preparatory school or two-year college players.

13.11.3 Prospect's Visit. A member institution shall not publicize (or arrange for publicity of) a prospect's visit to the institution's campus.

13.11.4 Introduction of Prospect. An institution may not introduce a visiting prospect at a function (e.g., the institution's sports award banquet or an intercollegiate athletics contest) that is attended by media representatives or open to the general public.

13.11.5 Intent to Enroll. A member institution shall not publicize (or arrange for publicity of) a prospect's intention to accept its offer of financial assistance.

13.11.6 Announcement of Signing. Publicity released by an institution concerning a prospect's commitment to attend the institution shall occur only after the prospect's signed acceptance of the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid. Such communications shall be limited to those media forms normally used by the institution.

13.11.6.1 Media Outlets. Such communications shall be released only to those media outlets normally used by the institution and by the educational institutions currently and formerly attended by the prospect.

13.11.6.2 Press Conferences. Institutional press conferences, receptions, dinners and similar meetings held for the purpose of making such an announcement are expressly prohibited.

13.11.6.2.1 One-Time Exception--Announcement of All Signings. An institution may make an announcement on the institution's campus for the sole purpose of presenting at one time to the media the names of all prospects who have accepted offers of admission and/or athletically related aid in a particular sport from that institution, with the understanding that no prospects (or their friends or relatives) may be in attendance.

13.11.6.2.2 Independent Announcement by Prospect. Press conferences to announce a signing may be arranged independently by the prospect (or the prospect's family), provided there is no arrangement or involvement whatsoever by the institution or representatives of its athletics interests.

13.11.6.3 Staff Member Presence. Institutional staff members are expressly prohibited from personal contact with media representatives at the site of the signing or at any other prearranged site when a prospect accepts an offer made by the institution. This does not preclude the presence of bona fide media representatives who are employed on a part-time basis by the institution.

13.11.6.4 Signings On Campus. An institution is responsible for signings on its campus (whether involving an individual or a group of prospects). Any contact by the media with prospects on campus during the time the prospect signs a National Letter of Intent or tender of financial aid shall be considered to be prima facie evidence of institutional involvement in arranging media involvement and shall be prohibited.

13.11.6.5 Press-Release Content. The contents of a properly issued press release may be determined by the institution and may include comments by its coaching staff members about the abilities of the prospect [see 13.4.2-(c) <"In Division I only, an institution's athletics department press release is limited to two colors of printing on the release. An institution may utilize a different color of typing or writing than the two colors of print on the press release.">]. ________________________________________________________________________

-- Jon_Schmidt@stortek.com Storage Technology Corporation (303) 673-3581 - voice 2270 South 88th Street (303) 673-6039 - fax Louisville, Colorado 80028-5209