September 18th: Providing Goodwill Packages

Ocean State University (OSU) volleyball team is hosting a tournament this weekend.  The coaches would like to provide a small goodie bag to all student-athletes participating in the event.

Is this permissible?

Yes with conditions.

Division I NCAA Staff Interpretation- 8/26/13- Providing Goodwill Packages to Visiting Teams (I)-  states that it is permissible to provide all teams participating in an institutionally sponsored competition with a goodwill package containing various mementos (e.g., coffee mugs, candy packets) of nominal value.

Would the answer remain the same if the scenario included James River Institute or Country Roads College? 

Yes with conditions.

Division II NCAA Official Interpretation- 12/16/87- Providing goodwill packages to visiting teams- states that in a situation in which a member institution conducts a promotional activity in conjunction with a commercial sponsor by providing all visiting teams with a goodwill package containing various mementos (e.g., coffee mugs, candy packets) of local interest; agreed that NCAA legislation permits a member institution to provide its opponents with this type of promotional package, with the understanding that the goodwill package does not contain any gift certificates or cash discounts for future purchases and is of nominal value.

Division III NCAA Official Interpretation- 12/16/87- Providing goodwill packages to visiting teams- states that in a situation in which a member institution conducts a promotional activity in conjunction with a commercial sponsor by providing all visiting teams with a goodwill package containing various mementos (e.g., coffee mugs, candy packets) of local interest; agreed that NCAA legislation permits a member institution to provide its opponents with this type of promotional package, with the understanding that the goodwill package does not contain any gift certificates or cash discounts for future purchases and is of nominal value.