Sports Sponsorship Bylaw 20.11.3 Agenda Timeliness of Topic; Minimum Contest and Participant Requirements; Completion of a Contest; Compliance Best Practices/Monitoring; Failure to Meet Minimum Sports-Sponsorship Criteria; Sports-Sponsorship Waivers; and Sport-Specific Topics. Session Outcomes Recognize the importance of tracking sportssponsorship requirements; Become familiar with sports-sponsorship legislation; Understand the consequences of failing to meet minimum requirements, as well as waiver options. Be aware of issues impacting specific sports. 1
As an added bonus Fun Facts about Timeliness of Topic 2
Sports-sponsorship requirements are a concern for institutions that are considering cutting sports. There are an increasing number of institutions that fail to satisfy minimum sports-sponsorship requirements each year. Failure to meet sports-sponsorship is one of the quickest ways to be placed on NCAA probation. Currently, there are 17 Division III schools on probation and two on restricted status for failure to meet sports-sponsorship requirements. 3
Broader Impact Sports-sponsorship failures also can have an impact on: conference AQ; and conference grant-funding. Did you know? Minimum Contest and Participant Requirements 4
SPORTS -SPONSORSHIP (Bylaw 20.11.3) A member institution shall sponsor a minimum number of sports based on institutional enrollment. Your sponsorship is reported annually on the Sports-Sponsorship and Demographic Report, due August 15. How many are required? 1000 Students or Less 5 varsity male or mixed teams of male/female sports 1 male sport each sport season; At least 3 team sports 5 varsity female sports 1 female sport each sport season; At least 3 team sports More than 1000 Students 6 varsity male or mixed teams of male/female sports 1 male sport each sport season; At least 3 team sports 6 varsity female sports 1 female sport each sport season; At least 3 team sports Enrollment Calculation Institutional enrollment is based on a rolling four-year average using the full-time undergraduate enrollment figure submitted for IPEDS. 5
Division III Philosophy Division III Philosophy Statement Bylaw 20.11-(f) reads Encourage participation by maximizing the number and variety of sport offerings for their students through broad-based athletics programs. Minimum Contests - History Current minimums were reset at the 2006 Convention by using 70% of the average of contests reported (at that time) as the threshold. These are reviewed by the membership committee every 3 years (at a minimum) Minimum Contests (Team Sports) Baseball = 25 Basketball = 18 Field Hockey = 12 Football = 7 Ice Hockey = 18 Lacrosse = 10 Women s Rowing = 8 Women s Rugby = 8 Soccer = 13 Softball = 24 Volleyball = 17 Water Polo = 13 6
Minimum Contests & Participants (Individual Sports) Bowling = 8 Contests w/ 5 participants Cross Country = 5 Contests w/ 5 participants Fencing = 8 Contests w/ 5 participants Golf = 6 Contests w/ 5 participants Men s Gymnastics = 6 Contests w/ 6 participants Women s Gymnastics = 6 Contests w/ 5 participants Rifle = 6 Contests w/ 4 participants Minimum Contests & Participants (Individual Sports) Skiing = 5 Contests w/ 5 participants Swimming and Diving = 8 Contests w/ 8 participants Tennis = 10 Contests w/ 6 participants Track & Field (Indoor) = 5 Contests w/ 10 participants Track & Field (Outdoor) = 6 Contests w/ 12 participants Women s Triathlon = 4 Contests w/ 3 participants Wresting = 7 Contests w/ 6 participants Completion of a Contest Bylaw 20.11.3.8.1 7
Completion of a Contest To count a contest for sports sponsorship in any team sport, your team must: Participate in the contest; AND Complete the contest**. ** Completion of a contest is based on the playing rules of that sport. Bylaw 20.11.3.8.1 Completion of a Contest To count a contest for sports sponsorship in an individual sport, your team must: Have the minimum number of participants in the contest; AND Have the minimum number of participants COMPLETE the contest, based on the playing rules of that sport. Bylaw 20.11.3.8.1 Stretch Your Mind! 8
Stretch Your Mind! Hoosier State University women s cross country team participated in the Naptown XC Classic last weekend. Hoosier State had six SAs start the race, but one SA rolled an ankle, and the other ran off course and was disqualified. Sports-sponsorship requirements for cross country are five contests, and five participants. Cross country playing rules require five participants must complete the contest. Does this contest count towards Hoosier State s women s cross country minimum sports-sponsorship requirements? Stretch Your Mind! No. Although more than the minimum number (5) of Hoosier State women s cross country SAs began the contest, only four SAs completed the contest. Therefore, the contest does not count toward Hoosier State s women s cross country minimum sports-sponsorship requirements. Bylaw 20.11.3.8.1 Did you know? 9
Compliance Best Practices/Monitoring Compliance Best Practices/Monitoring Ensure Sports-Sponsorship & Demographic Form is accurate. Previous academic year (e.g., 2014-15): List all sponsored varsity sports: Indicate if sponsorship requirements were not met in a particular sport, and the reason why. Upcoming academic year (e.g., 2015-16): List all varsity sports your institution intends to sponsor. Compliance Best Practices/Monitoring Maintain current official contest and participation results on your athletics website. Make available official contest and participation results from previous academic years on your athletics website (e.g., archives webpage). 10
Compliance Best Practices/Monitoring Schedule more than the minimum number of contests required in a particular sport (but also know your maximum contests limits in Bylaw 17). Remember, track closely all scrimmages, exhibitions, and joint practices with outside teams to see how they impact your minimums AND maximums! Build a roster with more than the minimum number of participants. Compliance Best Practices/Monitoring Be reasonable about the viability of sponsoring a particular sport at your institution (e.g., football). Consider the possibility of sponsoring more than the minimum number of sports. However, be reasonable about the viability of sponsoring more than the minimum at your institution. Failure to Meet Minimum Sports-sponsorship Criteria 11
Failure to Meet Minimum Sports-Sponsorship Criteria PENALTY PERIOD (not less than five academic years) First Failure Placed on probation. Must complete the Athletics Programs Assessment. May be required to attend an NCAA Regional Rules Seminar. Second Failure Placed in restricted membership. Lose championships eligibility, voting privileges and DIII grant and initiative funding. Third Failure Forfeit immediately membership in the Association. Constitution 3.02.3.1.2.1 Bylaw 20.11.3.9 Failure to Meet Minimum Sports-Sponsorship Criteria Penalty Period: If your institution fails to meet overall sportssponsorship requirements, your institution will enter a penalty period of not less than five academic years. The penalty period begins with the next academic year after first failure occurs. Bylaw 20.11.3.9 First Failure: Failure to Meet Minimum Sports-Sponsorship Criteria Your institution will be placed on probation for the duration of the penalty period, beginning with the next academic year after first failure occurs. During first year of penalty period, your institution must: Complete the Athletics Program Assessment. Your institution will NOT lose membership benefits. Bylaw 20.11.3.9.1.1 Constitution 3.02.3.1.2.1 12
Failure to Meet Minimum Sports-Sponsorship Criteria Second Failure: Your institution will be placed in restricted membership for one academic year, beginning with next academic year after second failure occurs during the penalty period. While in restricted membership, your institution will lose: Championships eligibility; Voting privileges; and DIII grant and initiative funding. Bylaw 20.11.3.9.1.2 Constitution 3.02.3.1.2.2 Failure to Meet Minimum Sports-Sponsorship Criteria Third Failure: Your institution will forfeit immediately your membership in the NCAA after a third failure occurs during the penalty period. Bylaw 20.11.3.9.1.3 Did you know? 13
Sports-Sponsorship Waivers Sports-Sponsorship Waivers Your institution should only seek a sports-sponsorship waiver if the following apply: Your institution failed to meet the minimum contest and/or participant requirements for a particular sport, as set forth in Bylaw 20.11.3.8; and Failure to properly sponsor the particular sport caused your institution to drop below overall minimum sport-sponsorship requirements. If both of these do not apply then your institution does not need to file a waiver. Bylaw 20.11.3.8 Bylaw 20.11.3.1 Bylaw 20.11.3.2 Sports-Sponsorship Waivers Your institution should be prepared to address the following questions in a sports-sponsorship waiver request: Was failure to satisfy the minimum number of contests or the minimum number of participants in a contest beyond the control of your institution? e.g., Weather conditions or disaster preventing completion of a scheduled competition or verified injury or illness at the site of competition preventing the participation of the required minimum number of individuals. 14
Sports-Sponsorship Waivers Your institution should be prepared to address the following questions in a sports-sponsorship waiver request: Can your institution document that it had scheduled (for the particular academic year) the appropriate minimum number of contests under enforceable game contracts executed in writing Did an opponent cancel a contest that your institution had contracted to play that academic year? Sports-Sponsorship Waivers Your institution should be prepared to address the following questions in a sports-sponsorship waiver request: Despite a documented good-faith effort, was your institution unable to rearrange its schedule to play the appropriate minimum number of contests? Did your institution present a detailed action plan outlining the steps it will take to ensure minimum sportssponsorship requirements are met for the next academic year? Sports-Sponsorship Waivers Since June 1, 2014: Total: 10 Approved: 6 Denied: 4 Since June 1, 2009: Total: 39 Approved: 26 Denied: 13 15
Sport-Specific Topics Sports Sponsorship vs. Playing Rules Be aware of the occasional difference most recent was women s golf waiver for championships. Track and Field Indoor and outdoor numbers are different. Indoor = 5 contests, 10 participants Outdoor = 6 contests, 12 participants 16
New Sports Women s Sand Volleyball Contest minimums will be set at 8 contests (Proposal 2015-3). Women s Triathlon Minimum is 4 contests w/ 3 participants. Did you know? Questions 17