September 24th: Special Seating During Visits

The below is the DCI from August 23rd.  Recently posted on NCAA LSDBi is a Division I Educational Column that should provide further clarification on this issue and assist with answering questions on the application of the legislation.

Division I NCAA Educational Column- 9/20/18- Special Seating During an Official or Unofficial Visit (I)- provides further clarification on the application of the legislation.

Background: In August 2018, a staff interpretation was published addressing special seating during an official visit or unofficial visit. NCAA staff has developed this educational column to assist the membership with the application of the visit legislation to ensure there is an understanding of what activities can occur during an official or unofficial visit.

This document contains questions and answers to assist the NCAA membership in the application of legislation governing special seating during an official or unofficial visit.

During an official or unofficial visit, a prospective student-athlete may be provided complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest provided seating for such admissions is in the general seating area of the facility. It is not permissible to provide seating to the prospective student-athlete during the event (including intermission) in the facility’s press box, special seating box(es) or bench area.

Question No. 1: May a prospective student-athlete enter a hospitality area (e.g., recruiting room, suite, coach’s office) before or after a home athletics contest?

Answer: Yes.

Question No. 2: May a prospective student-athlete enter a hospitality area (e.g., recruiting room, suite) during a home athletics contest?

Answer: Yes, however, during the conduct of the contest (including intermissions), the hospitality area may not have sightlines to the playing surface.

Question No. 3: If the recruiting room in the institution’s facility has sightlines to the playing surface, may the institution install blinds or curtains to obstruct the view of the playing surface during the conduct of the contest?

Answer: Yes, the institution may use blinds or curtains to obstruct the view of the playing surface during the conduct of the contest to allow a prospective student-athlete and his or her guests to access the room during the conduct of the contest.

Question No. 4: May a prospective student-athlete watch a home athletics contest on a video device (e.g., television, tablet) in a recruiting room where there is no view of the playing surface?

Answer: Yes.

Question No. 5: May a prospective student-athlete observe a home athletics contest from a coach’s office that has direct sightlines to the playing surface?

Answer: No.

Question No. 6: May a prospective student-athlete be on the sideline or the field/court before or after a contest during an official or unofficial visit?

Answer: Yes.

Question No. 7: May a prospective student-athlete be on the sideline or the field/court during a contest (including intermission or halftime) during an official or unofficial visit?

Answer: No.

[References: NCAA Division I Bylaws: 13.6.7.2 (complimentary admissions) 13.7.3.1 (general restrictions),13.6.7.9 (activities during official visit); 13.7.3 (activities during unofficial visit); 13.10.2.7 (photograph of prospective student-athlete); and 13.10.3 (publicity after commitment); staff interpretations (03/05/05, Item No. b) and (08/09/18, Item No. a)]

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The Ocean State University (OSU) Football Coaches are preparing their official and unofficial visit itineraries for the fall term and determining how many tickets they will need for each of their home football games.  if they are limited on the number of tickets available in the general seating area, is it permissible for the recruits to watch the game from the hospitality room that overlooks the field as long as there are not any boosters in the room?

No.  NCAA Staff Interpretation- 8/9/18- Special Seating at an Athletics Contest During an Official or Unofficial Visit- states that during an official or unofficial visit, it is not permissible for a prospective student-athlete or those accompanying the prospective student-athlete to view the playing surface of an athletics contest from any area (e.g., hospitality area, recruiting room, coach’s office) other than the general seating area during the conduct of the contest (including intermission).

Division II and III Legislation also has similar restrictions.

Division II NCAA Bylaw 13.6.6.2 states that during the official visit, a maximum of five complimentary admissions to a campus athletics event in which the institution’s intercollegiate team practices or competes may be provided to a prospective student-athlete. Such complimentary admissions are for the exclusive use of the prospective student-athlete and those persons accompanying the prospective student-athlete on the visit and must be issued on an individual-game basis. Providing special seating arrangements during the conduct of the event (including intermission) for the prospective student-athlete or those persons accompanying the prospective student-athlete in the facility’s press box, special seating box(es) or bench area is specifically prohibited. See Bylaw 13.2.12 for complimentary admissions for military families. [R] (Revised: 1/10/90 effective 8/1/90, 1/11/94, 1/13/98, 1/11/00 effective 8/1/00, 1/9/06, 6/22/11, 10/19/15, 4/19/16)

NCAA Bylaw 13.6.5.2 states that during the official visit, complimentary admissions to a home athletics event may be provided to a prospective student-athlete and the individuals accompanying the prospective student-athlete. Seating shall be provided in the general seating area of the facility used for conducting the event. [R] (Revised: 1/10/90 effective 8/1/90, 1/11/94, 1/13/98, 1/12/04, 1/9/06, 8/3/06, 1/15/14, 3/27/14)