Ocean State University Women’s Basketball team is hosting NCAA Championship first and second round games. Several High School coaches that have attended games throughout the year have requested complimentary admissions for these games. Is it permissible to provide 2 complimentary admissions to these High School coaches as long as they are provided via a pass list?
No. NCAA Bylaw 13.8.1 states that entertainment of a high school, preparatory school or two-year college coach or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospective student-athlete is involved shall be limited to providing a maximum of two complimentary admissions (issued only through a pass list) to home intercollegiate athletics events at any facility within a 30-mile radius of the institution’s main campus, which must be issued on an individual-game basis. Such entertainment shall not include food and refreshments, room expenses, or the cost of transportation to and from the campus or the athletics event. It is not permissible to provide complimentary admissions to any postseason competition (e.g., NCAA championship, conference tournament, bowl game). An institutional coaching staff member is expressly prohibited from spending funds to entertain the prospective student-athlete’s coach on or off the member institution’s campus. For violations in which the value of the benefit is $100 or less, the eligibility of the prospective student-athlete shall not be affected conditioned on the prospective student-athlete (or the high school, college-preparatory school or two-year coach or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospective student-athlete is involved) repaying the value of the benefit to a charity of his or her choice. However, the prospective student-athlete shall remain ineligible from the time the institution has knowledge of receipt of the impermissible benefit until the prospective student-athlete (or the high school, college-preparatory school or two-year coach or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospective student-athlete is involved) repays the benefit.
Daily Compliance Item 