Athletics Veritas is a weekly series aimed at helping higher education executives, faculty, and other stakeholders stay tuned in on trending national issues impacting college athletics, especially NCAA Division I. Athletics Veritas is created by senior DI athletic administrators around the nation.
Term-in-Ology: Hosting A Pro Sports Contest
NCAA rules permit a member institution to host and promote an athletics contest between two professional teams from recognized professional sports leagues as a fundraising activity for the institution.
This permissive amateurism rule would permit, for example, a Division I institution located in Arizona to host a contest between two Major League Baseball teams during spring training in March at the Division I university’s stadium as part of a fundraising initiative for the school.
Hosting a pro contest might make sense due to a special connection the teams have to the Division I school; for example, each involved team could have a team member that played collegiate baseball at the university in question, which would potentially draw the college team’s fan base or new supporters to the game.
Athletics Veritas is presented for information purposes only and should not be considered advice or counsel on NCAA compliance matters. For guidance on NCAA rules and processes, always consult your university’s athletics compliance office, conference office, and/or the NCAA.
