Compliance for Fans and Boosters

Message from Laura Herron

Are you a Booster?

What is an extra benefit or recruiting inducement?

Frequently Asked Questions for Boosters

Employment of Student-Athletes and Prospects

Booster Violations

Letter to Our Boosters

It is our responsibility to make you aware of the potential consequences for violating NCAA rules. This website contains an overview of some of the common rules and regulations that are applicable to you as a representative of athletics interest. If you have additional questions, we encourage you to contact our Compliance Office directly at 423-425-5577.

Thanks again for your continued support of UTC Athletics.
Go Mocs!

Definition of a representative of athletics interest (booster): A "representative of the institution's athletics interests" is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution's executive or athletics administration to:

• • have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting the institution's intercollegiate athletics program;
  • have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution;
  • be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department) to assist in the recruitment of prospects;
  • be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
  • have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution's athletics program.

Some examples of representative of athletics interests are: fans, undergraduate students, graduate students, all university faculty, staff and other employees and alumni.

If you find yourself in a conversation with a prospect or his/her relative(s) and the topic turns to the UTC athletics program, politely explain that NCAA regulations don't permit you to discuss this with them and direct their questions to the Mocs coach in that sport or another athletics department staff member.

NCAA Regulations DO permit the following:

• • Contacting a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coach regarding any prospect that you feel would be a worthy addition to the university and its athletics program;
  • Attendance at public functions where prospects may be (such as high school banquets), as long as you do not have contact with the prospect for recruiting purposes;
  • Forwarding newspaper articles regarding prospects to University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coaches; and
  • Continuing existing relationships with families that include children of prospect age.

NCAA Regulations DO NOT permit the following:

• • Providing a prospect, his/her family or friends with any benefit or special arrangement, including (but not limited to):
    • transportation;
    • meals;
    • admission to an athletics event;
    • costs incurred to attend a UTC camp;
    • entertainment;
    • costs incurred to visit campus;
    • free services or discounts;
    • gifts or awards;
  • Contacting a prospect's coach, principal or counselor for the purpose of evaluating the prospect; picking up game films or transcripts from the prospect's high school, prep school or junior college;
  • Assisting in arranging for a prospect's future financial aid; or
  • Entertaining or providing tickets to a high school, prep school or junior college coach.

This is NOT an all-inclusive list, so please ASK BEFORE YOU ACT!