This frequently asked questions document is designed to provide the NCAA Division II membership with guidance on commonly asked questions regarding recruiting/scouting services. For additional information regarding recruiting/scouting services, please refer to the NCAA Division II manual and the Legislative Services Database for the Internet (LSDBi) or contact the appropriate institutional or conference compliance personnel. Question No. 1: What does the definition of recruiting/scouting services include? The definition of a recruiting or scouting service includes any individual, organization, entity or segment of an entity that is primarily involved in providing information about prospective student-athletes. This definition includes, but is not limited to, any service that provides information only to paid subscribers; any service that is only available to a select group of individuals (e.g., coaches), regardless of whether there is a charge associated with the service and any service that provides information to the public free of charge. However, this definition does not include any individual, organization, entity or segment of an entity that provides information about prospective student-athletes incidental to its primary purpose and is generally available to the public (e.g., news media). [Reference: staff interpretation (4/1/2011, Item No. c)] Question No. 2: What are recruiting/scouting services permitted to send to NCAA coaches about high school student-athletes? Recruiting/scouting services may distribute personal information (e.g., high school academic and athletics records, physical statistics) to institutions without jeopardizing the prospective student-athlete's eligibility, provided any fee paid to such an agent or service is not based on placing the prospective student-athlete in a collegiate institution as a recipient of institutional financial aid. It is not permissible for a recruiting/scouting service or employees of such services to act as an intermediary between a prospective student-athlete and an NCAA institution (e.g., assist in arranging recruiting contacts, relaying information other than personal information). [Reference: NCAA Bylaw 12.3.3.1 (talent evaluation services and agents)] Question No. 3: May a recruiting/scouting service call NCAA coaches to give them information on prospective student-athletes?
Page No. 2 No. It is not permissible for NCAA coaches to receive oral information from recruiting/scouting services. Coaches may only receive information from published or video services. [References: Bylaw 13.14.3.1 and official interpretation (12/16/87, Item No. 9)] Question No. 4: May an NCAA coach contact a recruiting/scouting service and request assistance in identifying prospective student-athletes on the basis of an institution's team profile and the prospective student-athletes interest and abilities? No. It is not permissible for NCAA coaches to contact recruiting/scouting services via any form of communication (e.g., telephone or electronic transmission) to request assistance in identifying prospective studentathletes. Information provided in this manner to member institutions is not standardized in a way that ensures consistent distribution of information regarding each prospective student-athlete. [References: Bylaw 13.14.3.1, staff interpretation (5/15/92, Item No. c), and official interpretation (12/16/87, Item No. 9)] Question No. 5: May an NCAA institution use the services of a recruiting/scouting service which conducts a combine to gain information about prospective studentathletes (e.g., 40-yard dash time, bench press)? Yes. A Division II institution may subscribe to a regularly published scouting service that conducts a combine to gain information about prospective student-athletes, provided the information is available to all institutions desiring to subscribe and the same fee rate is charged to all subscribers. [References: Bylaws 13.4.3.1 (published recruiting services) and 13.4.3.2 (video services)] Question No. 6: May a recruiting service conduct a combine on a Division II campus? NCAA Division II legislation does not preclude a recruiting service from using institutional facilities for a combine, provided the institution's athletics department staff members or representatives of its athletics
Page No. 3 interests are not involved in the conduct, promotion or the administration of the activity (other than activities incidental to supervising the use of facilities). Institutional staff members may not attend a tryout camp sponsored by an outside organization if the camp invites only representatives from selected institutions or conferences to observe the camp. [References: Bylaws 13.11.1 (prohibited activities), 13.11.3.3 (activities not involving institution's staff) and 13.11.1.5 (tryout camps)] Question No. 7: May a recruiting/scouting service video a combine, nonscholastic activities or summer camp and clinic competition and send it to NCAA coaches? Institutions are permitted to subscribe to video services, provided only regularly scheduled (regular season) high school or two-year college contests are viewed. Thus, it would not be permissible for an institution to subscribe to a service that records video of staged activities involving a prospective student-athlete demonstrating his or her athletics skills. Such a video must be provided specifically to the prospective student-athlete, who may then provide it to any institution at his or her discretion. Further, institutions may not subscribe to a recruiting/scouting service that places video clips of staged activities on a website. Additionally, it is not permissible for an institution to obtain video (e.g., live streaming video, recorded video) of any nonscholastic activities, including regular game and all-star competition, or any summer camp or clinic competition, through a subscription to a recruiting or scouting service. [References: Bylaws 12.3.3 (athletics scholarship agent) and 13.14.3.2 (video services) and official interpretation (4/2/87, Item No. 6)] Question No. 8: Does a recruiting/scouting service have to charge a prospective studentathlete to use its service? No, provided the recruiting/scouting service is made available to all individuals free of charge. [Reference: Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6 (preferential treatment)]
Page No. 4 Question No. 9: May a recruiting/scouting service provide a discounted subscription rate to certain prospective student-athletes? No. NCAA amateurism regulations specify that an individual would jeopardize his or her amateur status if he or she receives preferential treatment, benefits or services because of his or her athletics reputation or skill or pay-back potential as a professional athlete, unless such treatment, benefits or services specifically are permitted under NCAA legislation. Thus, in this case, if an objective standard is established (e.g., financial need analysis) and is applied consistently to all individuals wishing to use the recruiting/scouting service, providing a reduced rate would not be contrary to NCAA regulations. [Reference: Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6 (preferential treatment)] Question No. 10: Do NCAA coaches have to pay for information sent by a recruiting/scouting service? Although a fee is not required, if a fee is charged, the same fee must be charged to all subscribers. Institutions may subscribe to regularly published recruiting/scouting services involving prospects, provided the service is made available to all institutions desiring to subscribe and if a fee is charged, at the same fee rate for all subscribers. [References: Bylaws 13.4.3.1 (published recruiting services) and 13.4.3.2 (video services)] Question No. 11: May an NCAA institution use a recruiting/scouting service that posts information about high school student-athletes on a website that is only accessible to NCAA coaches? It is permissible for a recruiting/scouting service to charge a fee to a high school student for the production and maintenance of a webpage that includes the prospective student-athlete s personal information and is available only to NCAA coaches, provided the fee does not guarantee that the prospective student-athlete will be placed in a collegiate institution as a recipient of institutional financial aid. While advertisement of the website service is permissible, a recruiting/scouting service may not advertise or market a specific prospective student-athlete or his or her webpage.
Page No. 5 [References: Bylaws 12.3.3.1 (talent evaluation services and agents) and 13.14.3.1 (published recruiting services)] Question No. 12: May an NCAA coach endorse a recruiting/scouting service? No. It is not permissible for athletics department staff members to endorse, serve as consultants or participate on advisory panels for a recruiting/scouting service involving prospective student-athletes. It is not permissible for an NCAA institution to provide a hyperlink (i.e., direct link) to the website of a recruiting/scouting service. Further, an NCAA institution may not permit a recruiting/scouting service to provide a hyperlink from its website to the institution's website, inasmuch as this would constitute assistance in the recruiting of prospective student-athletes on behalf of the institution. [References: Bylaw 11.3.2.2 (recruiting service consultants) and staff interpretation (8/1/1997, Item No. a)] Question No. 13: May an NCAA coach be employed by a camp or clinic that also provides a recruiting/scouting service? No. An athletics department staff member may not be employed (either on a salaried or a volunteer basis) in any capacity by a camp or clinic established, sponsored or conducted by an individual or organization that provides recruiting/scouting services concerning prospective studentathletes. This provision does not prohibit an athletics department staff member from participating in an officiating camp where participants officiate for, but are not otherwise involved in, a recruiting/scouting services camp. [Reference: Bylaw 13.12.2.5.1 (camp/clinic providing recruiting or scouting service)] Question No. 14: May an operator of a recruiting/scouting service be an agent and run a separate recruiting/scouting service for high school and two-year college athletes? NCAA regulations do not preclude one from serving as an agent to individuals who are pursuing professional careers while also having a distinct and separate business that performs the traditional activities of a
Page No. 6 recruiting/scouting service. An individual's eligibility to participate in intercollegiate athletics at an NCAA institution would be jeopardized if such an agent were to provide him or her (or his or her relatives or friends) transportation or other benefits. Pursuant to NCAA amateurism regulations, an individual is ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if he or she has agreed (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing his or her athletics ability or reputation in that sport. The distribution of personal statistics by a recruiting/scouting service is a permissible exception to the agent prohibition. Finally, an individual shall be ineligible if he or she enters into a oral or written agreement with an agent for representation for future professional sports negotiations that will take place after the individual has completed his or her eligibility in that sport. [References: Bylaws 12.3.1 (general rule), 12.3.1.1 (representation for future negotiations), 12.3.1.2 (benefits from prospective agents) and 12.3.3.1 (talent evaluation services and agents)] Question No. 15: Does the NCAA endorse or certify recruiting/scouting services? The NCAA does not endorse or certify recruiting/scouting services for Division II. In Division I men s and women s basketball and football, the NCAA does publish an approved list of recruiting/scouting services annually. Question No. 16: If an organization provides general news or sports coverage but also publishes rankings, scouting reports and/or evaluations of prospective student-athletes, would this organization be considered a recruiting/ scouting service? If the organization can be divided into independent segments, then legislation related to recruiting/scouting services would be applicable only to the segment of the organization that is primarily involved in providing information about prospective student-athletes. Therefore, it is essential to consider each distinguishable segment of an organization in determining whether the organization, or an individual segment of the organization, is primarily involved in providing information about prospective studentathletes.
Page No. 7 Question No. 17: What if the organization is involved in multiple activities, including providing information about prospective student-athletes, and cannot be divided into readily distinguishable segments? If an organization is involved in multiple activities that cannot be divided into readily distinguishable segments, then it is necessary to consider whether providing information about prospective student-athletes is a primary or integral aspect of the operation or is clearly incidental to the primary function(s) of the organization. Factors include, but are not limited to, whether the organization markets and promotes its services as providing information about prospective student-athletes and whether the value of the product or service would be significantly diminished if not for providing information regarding prospective student-athletes. For example, if an organization operates a sports camp for prospective student-athletes, touting exposure to college recruiters and publishing contact and statistical information, combine-style testing results and evaluations of the prospective student-athletes' performances at the camp, then the organization as a whole would be considered a recruiting or scouting service. Question No. 18: If an organization or entity is primarily involved in providing information about prospective student-athletes but the information is available on a website at no charge to the public, is this organization or entity considered a recruiting/scouting service? Yes. The definition of a recruiting/scouting service is not limited to services that provide information only to paid subscribers. The definition includes, without limitation, services available only to a select group of individuals (e.g., coaches), regardless of whether there is a charge associated with the service and services that provide information to the general public free of charge. Question No. 19: May a recruiting/scouting service aggregate or direct subscribers to nonscholastic video of prospective student-athletes if the video is also available to the general public on another website or elsewhere on the service's website?
Page No. 8 Athletics department staff members may only access nonscholastic video in the same manner available to all members of the general public. Therefore, an institution may not subscribe to any recruiting/scouting service that provides subscribers with preferential access to nonscholastic video in a manner not available to all members of the general public. [References: staff interpretation (3/31/2009, Item No. 2)] Question No. 20: May a recruiting or scouting service provide institutional coaching staff members with expenses (e.g., travel, lodging) to attend an event for recruiting purposes? No. All funds for the recruitment of prospective student-athletes shall be deposited directly with the member institution, which shall be exclusively and entirely responsible for the manner in which such funds are expended. Therefore, it is not permissible for any outside organization or individual (e.g., recruiting or scouting service, event operator) to provide institutional coaching staff members with expenses (e.g., travel, lodging) to attend any event for recruiting purposes. Such expenses are considered funds donated for recruiting purposes and such funds must be deposited directly with the member institution, as opposed to being provided directly to an institutional coaching staff member(s). Further, any individual or organization that provides funds directly to the athletics department would be considered a representative of athletics interests and subject to all legislation applicable to that status (e.g., contact, telephone and evaluation restrictions). [References: Bylaws 13.1.2.3 (other restrictions), 13.02.14 (representatives of athletics interests), 13.14.4 (slush funds) and 13.14.1 (institutional control), educational column (10/6/11, a)] http://documentcenter.ncaa.org/msaa/ama/alladministrators/conklin,amanda/conklin-sullivan/finaldivisioniirecruitingandscoutingservicesfaq/aec:kas/05_02_12