2. NCAA’s Creation
1905 President Theodore Roosevelt
wanted to regulate football
Prisoner’s Dilemma
If all teams played by the rules, then any one
school could benefit at the expense of its
rivals by breaking the rules
3. NCAA’s Original Purpose
Reduce violence
Standardize play
Became a rules enforcer
Concerned with ethics
4. Organizational Overview
Voluntary organization
Over 1,150 member schools
Pay dues
Maintain ethical and academic standings
Comply by the rules
Controls all major revenue-producing collegiate
events
Most of the revenues are from conducting
championships
Not-for-profit organization
5. Conference
Groups of schools that compete to
determine a conference champion in each
sport
Revenue sharing within conferences
6. Divisions
Size of financial base
Number & type of sports offered
Focus of the program
Existence of athletic grants-in-aid
7. Division I
Must offer football & men’s basketball
Provide full grants-in-aid based on athletic
ability
Highly competitive, focus is on national
prominence
Financed through: student fees, gate
receipts, TV revenues & licensing
revenues
8. Division II
Offer grants-in-aid based on athletic ability
Goal of the program is regional
prominence
9. Division III
Largest division
Focus is on participation
No grants-in-aid for athletic ability
Goal of the program is conference
prominence
10. Function of NCAA
“Board of Directors”
NCAA Council
(46 members)
President/Institution
al Members
Steering
Committees
Committee on
Infractions
NCAA Executive
Committee (14
members)
NCAA Membership
(1,150+)
Annual Meeting
Presidents
Commission
(Advisory
Group)
11. Function of NCAA
“Board of Directors”
NCAA Council
(46 members)
President/Institution
al Members
Steering
Committees
Committee on
Infractions
NCAA Executive
Committee (14
members)
NCAA Membership
(1,150+)
Annual Meeting
Presidents
Commission
(Advisory
Group)
Members vote on:
Policies
Officers
Committee
assignments
President’s
Commission:
Advise the association
on selected issues
12. Function of NCAA
“Board of Directors”
NCAA Council
(46 members)
President/Institution
al Members
Steering
Committees
Committee on
Infractions
NCAA Executive
Committee (14
members)
NCAA Membership
(1,150+)
Annual Meeting
Presidents
Commission
(Advisory
Group)
NCAA Council
Board of Directors
Interpret the
constitution and
bylaws
Arbiter of last resort on
enforcement actions
Steering Committees
Consider matters
within each division
13. Function of NCAA
“Board of Directors”
NCAA Council
(46 members)
President/Institution
al Members
Steering
Committees
Committee on
Infractions
NCAA Executive
Committee (14
members)
NCAA Membership
(1,150+)
Annual Meeting
Presidents
Commission
(Advisory
Group)
Executive Committee
Headed by the NCAA
President
14 members
Handle financial
matters
Oversee
championships
14. Function of NCAA
“Board of Directors”
NCAA Council
(46 members)
President/Institution
al Members
Steering
Committees
Committee on
Infractions
NCAA Executive
Committee (14
members)
NCAA Membership
(1,150+)
Annual Meeting
Presidents
Commission
(Advisory
Group)
Infractions Committee
6 members
Investigate possible
violations
Determine penalties
15. Investigation Process
Allegations are made by
another school or
evidence that strongly
suggest problems
Investigative staff
searches for evidence
and takes depositions
If investigation turns up
questionable practices, a
more detailed
investigation follows
Institution is notified
Infraction committee
reviews evidence,
questions
institutions/players, and
issues findings or
sanctions
Institutions may make an
appeal to NCAA Council
16. Critical Aspects
NCAA staff is not large enough to monitor
member schools
NCAA acts on information given by
coaches and competitor schools
NCAA may start an investigation on
probabilistic evidence
18. Recruiting
“A member of an institutional athletic staff
or a representative of its athletic interest
shall not recruit a prospect except as
permitted by this association”
NCAA Bylaw
19. Recruiting (cont.)
Contact with prospective athletes
Publicity of potential recruits
Personnel who may scout
Tryouts
Transportation for visitation
Number of contacts with a recruit
Behavior at sport camps/clinics
20. New Rules for D-I
Must use commercial aircraft & not upgrade from
coach to first-class
Recruits and host sign agreements not to
engage in inappropriate activities during visits
Colleges cannot use “special vehicles” for
recruits
Modified with TVs, special decor
Recruits must stay in standard hotel rooms and
receive standard meals
21. New Rules (cont.)
No personalized jerseys or simulating game-
day experiences
Announcing a player’s name or showing a
fake highlight film on the stadium or arena
scoreboard.
Host to recruits must also host non-athletes
Coaches, administrators, recruits, and host
are subject to the NCAA’s unethical conduct
rules if recruits drink, use drugs, or otherwise
behave inappropriately during visits.
22. University Representative
“An individual who is known (or should
have been known) by members at the
institution to have promoted or financially
contributed to athletics at the university, or
has been asked to recruit or assist a
prospective student athlete”
NCAA Bylaw
24. University Representative
No arrangement of employment of
relatives
No gifts of clothing or equipment
Cannot co-sign loans
No gifts of cash or merchandise
Cannot grant free or reduced rate housing
25. Eligibility
“The student athlete shall complete his/her
season of participation within 5 calendar
years from beginning of the semester the
student is first registered”
Must also complete 12 semester hours of
academic course work
27. College Eligibility
New standards require:
Pass 40% of degree courses before 3rd year
Pass 60% of degree courses before 4th year
Pass 80% of degree courses before 5th year
28. Enforcement
Administrators & coaches must provide full
& complete disclosure
Burden of proof is on the accused
4-year statute of limitation on allegations
29. College Recruiting Violations
The bottom line in Division I is winning
Make $$$
Attractive to TV & Media
Increases school’s notoriety
Help coaches keep their jobs
Attract higher quality athletes
30. NCAA Structure Flaws
Focus on outputs rather than inputs
Break-even teams that attract quality athletes
and produce winning records will cause rivals
to infer illegal practices
Rivals will initiate an investigation
Rules work in favor of programs with long
histories of winning/losing
31. NCAA Athletic Services
Education/Training: Advance Degree, 2/3
have law degree
Assist member institutions with
interpretations of rules & regulations
Investigate/enforce compliance
procedures with member institutions
32. Athletic Director
Focus is provide student-athletes with
facilities & opportunities to compete at the
highest level of their ability
Raise money from alumni
Insure athletes are making satisfactory
academic progress
Keep the program within NCAA
regulations
34. Booster Club Coordinator
Boosters: Groups of alumni who support
the athletic department financially
Coordinator work with alumni on a day-to-
day basis for fundraising
Makes sure that everyone knows and
follows the rules
37. Sports Information Director (SID)
Must be an expert in media relations,
publishing & personnel management
Arrange interviews
Responsible for printed materials