UMBC Retrievers Compliance

Boosters & Extra Benefits

As a booster, you are subject to various NCAA regulations regarding your interaction with student-athletes. The biggest concern is always the area of granting extra benefits. If you own a retail business, you need to be sure that you are not extending discounts to those student-athletes from UMBC that are not available to your other customers. There was a violation at another Division I institution several years ago that involved a booster who owned a shoe store. Apparently, student-athletes were given the opportunity to purchase shoes at unadvertised discount rates. This violated NCAA Bylaw 16.02.03 Extra Benefits, which stats:

“An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or a representative of the institution’s athletics interests (i.e. booster) to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete’s relative or friend a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Receipt of a benefit by student-athletes or their relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation of it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution’s students or their relatives or friends or to a particular segment of the student body (e.g. foreign students, minority students) determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability.”

To state it simply, if the discount is available to all UMBC students with a current I.D., then there is no extra benefit. It could even be more defined, such as available to only first-year students.

Sometimes, even the smallest thing may be considered an extra benefit. For example, giving each member of a team a personalized Christmas ornament would be an extra benefit, unless you are also giving similar items to other students who are not student-athletes. It may seem small, but rules are rules.

You are a booster, or by NCAA definition, a “Representative of Athletics Interest” if:

You participate in or have been a member of any group or organization that promotes UMBC’s intercollegiate athletic program.

You make or have made a donation to any of the Retriever Athletics programs.

You provide or help arrange for summer employment for Retriever athletes.

You have been involved in promoting UMBC Athletics in any way.

You are the parent of an enrolled student-athlete.

Once a booster, always a booster: This is according to NCAA regulations, even if you no longer contribute to the athletics program.

A booster’s role in the recruiting process:

All boosters, alumni, friends and other “representatives of athletics’ interests” who are not employed by UMBC are prohibited from making contact (in-person, by phone, fax, e-mail or letter) with a prospective student-athlete or his/her family for the purpose of encouraging their involvement in UMBC athletics.

An alumnus may be called by a prospect to discuss UMBC generally, but not to talk specifics about Retriever athletics.

An impermissible contact, even accidental, could jeopardize the prospect’s athletic future at UMBC, as the prospect could be sanctioned by the NCAA.

You may view a prospect’s game on your own initiative as long as you do NOT contact the prospective student-athlete.

You may NOT contact a prospect’s coach, principal or counselor to try to get an evaluation of the prospect.

You may NOT visit the prospect’s high school to pick up videotapes, DVDs or transcripts.

If you already have an established relationship with a prospect, you MAY continue that relationship. You may NOT, though, use that relationship for recruitment purposes.

Once a prospect signs a National Letter of Intent with UMBC, you MAY discuss summer employment opportunities with the prospect, as long as the UMBC Athletic Administration has given you permission to do so.

Remember: Your role as a UMBC Retriever Booster is greatly appreciated, as long as everyone plays by the rules.

If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Zerrlaut, Senior Associate Athletic Director/Compliance, at 410-455-2012 or zerrlaut@umbc.edu.