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: Media Activities
As some Division I fall sport teams compete this fall, requests for student-athletes to fulfill media obligations become more frequent. According to NCAA Division I amateurism rules, a student-athlete may participate in media activities, including but not limited to, radio, television and internet-based programs (e.g., coaches’ shows), and writing projects when the student-athlete’s appearance or participation is related in any way to his or her status as a student-athlete. The student-athlete shall not receive any remuneration for participation in the activity.
The student-athlete may not make any endorsement, expressed or implied, of any commercial product or service. The student-athlete may, however, receive actual and necessary expenses directly related to the appearance or participation in the activity. A student-athlete participating in such media activities may not miss class, except for class time missed in conjunction with away-from-home competition or to participate in an NCAA or conference-sponsored media activity.
This rule will inevitably be amended in light of the anticipated name-image-likeness policy changes on the horizon to give student-athletes more freedom to pursue media-related activities that involve endorsing products or services and fulfilling the activity for compensation.
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.
