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Report: College administrators looking to take boosters out of NIL game
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College administrators are reportedly looking to take boosters out of the NIL game, according to a report from Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger.
Per Dellenger’s story, administrators are “finalizing additional guidelines that are expected to clarify that boosters and booster-led collectives are prohibited from involvement in recruiting.” The goal is to rid college athletics from pay-for-play deals that are disguised as NIL opportunities.
From Sports Illustrated:
The new directives will highlight existing NCAA bylaws that outlaw boosters from participating in recruiting, reminding member schools of guardrails that, while in place for years, have been bent and broken during the first 10 months of the NIL era, officials say. Under a long-held NCAA rule, boosters are a representative arm of an athletic department and are not supposed to associate with or persuade prospects.
The guidelines, still in draft form, outline that booster-backed collectives should be prohibited from associating with high school prospects and college transfers, potentially opening the door for contentious legal challenges between the association and booster groups.
Those institution found to be in violation of the rules could face sanctions from the NCAA. A final draft has not been created at the time of the report.
When the NCAA approved of NIL opportunities for student-athletes, very few rules and guidelines were put in place. It appears that’s about to change.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB