The University of Dayton is responsible for all the actions taken by its alumni, donors, boosters, and fans. As a result, this page is designed to help you familiarize yourself with applicable NCAA guidelines and to help answer commonly-raised questions.
Please always remember to ASK BEFORE YOU ACT!
Booster Information (PDF)
Booster Defined:
The NCAA refers to Booster as "representatives of the institution's athletic interests." This broad definition includes anyone who has:
- Provided a donation in order to obtain season tickets for any sport at the university.
- Participated in or has been a member of an organization promoting the university’s athletics programs.
- Made financial contributions to the athletic department or to a university booster organization.
- Arranged for or provided employment for enrolled student-athletes.
- Assisted or has been requested by university staff to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes.
- Assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families.
- Been involved otherwise in promoting university athletics
Boosters play a role in providing student-athletes with a positive experience through their enthusiastic efforts. They can support teams and athletic departments through donations of time and financial resources, which help student-athletes succeed on and off the playing field.
Important Information to Keep in Mind:
- Once an individual is identified as a “representative of the institution’s athletics interests,” the person retains that identity forever.
- Only institutional staff members are permitted to recruit prospective student-athletes. Generally, NCAA rules prohibit anyone else from contacting (calling, writing, or in-person contact) prospects or the prospect’s relatives or guardians for recruiting purposes.
- Students are still considered prospects even if they have signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) or any other financial aid agreement with a university.
- Boosters are not prohibited from continuing established friendships with families who have prospective student-athletes. However, Boosters may not encourage a prospect’s participation in university athletics or provide benefits to prospects that were not previously provided. The athletics department must be informed about all previous relationships.
- If a violation occurs, it may jeopardize a student-athlete’s eligibility for intercollegiate competition, jeopardize a school’s membership status with the NCAA; or cause a booster to lose access to all booster benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What are examples of impermissible recruiting activities?
As a booster, you may not:
- Contact a prospect in-person, on-campus, or off-campus.
- Contact a prospect by telephone, email, internet, or letter.
- Provide gifts or free or reduced-cost services to a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian.
- Employ relatives, guardians, or friends of a prospect as an inducement for the prospect’s enrollment and athletics participation at a university.
- Become directly or indirectly involved in making arrangements for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian to receive money or financial aid of any kind.
- Provide transportation for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian to attend an athletic event.
- Provide any material benefit (ex. meals, cash) to the coach of a prospect, including high school, two-year college, AAU and summer team coaches.
2. What are examples of permissible activities?
Even though there are many rules prohibiting your involvement with prospects and the recruiting process, as a booster, you may:
- Notify the university coaching staff members about noteworthy prospects in the area.
- Attend high school or two-year college athletic contests or other events where prospects may compete, provided no contact occurs.
- Continue exiting friendships.
3. What are examples of impermissible extra benefits for enrolled student-athletes?
As a booster, you may not provide a student-athlete or a student-athlete’s friends, relatives or guardians:
- Tickets to college or professional sporting events.
- A special discount, payment arrangement or credit on a purchase or service.
- Cash, loan, signing, or co-signing a loan.
- Transportation, payment of expense, or loan of any automobile.
- Benefits or gifts based upon the student-athlete’s athletic performance.
- Free or reduced rent or housing.
- An honorarium to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement.
4. What are examples of permissible benefits for enrolled student-athletes?
With the various NCAA rules and regulations regarding benefits to student-athletes, it may seem difficult to be a part of a university’s athletic programs. However, you can show your support as a booster in other ways. Boosters may:
- Make contributions directly to university programs or the athletic department.
- Attend university athletic events and show student athletes you support their hard work and dedication to the university.
5. What is institutional control?
Institutional control of athletics is a fundamental requirement of NCAA legislation. Specifically, the NCAA constitution states that the university must:
- Control its intercollegiate athletic programs in compliance with the rules and regulations of the NCAA.
- Monitor its program to insure compliance.
- Identify and report to the NCAA instances in which compliance has not been achieved and take corrective actions.
- Insure those members of university staff, student-athletes, and other individuals or groups representing the university’s athletic interests comply with NCAA rules and regulations. As a member of the NCAA, the university is responsible for all actions.
6. Are there any rules for the employment of enrolled student-athletes by boosters?
Please keep the following in mind:
- Student-athletes may only be compensated for work actually performed and at a rate commensurate with the going rate.
- Compensation may not include remuneration for the value that the student-athlete may have for the employer due to the student-athlete’s athletics status.
- Transportation may not be provided to student-athletes unless it is a benefit provided to all employees.
