STUDENT ATHLETE (507B)
Updated 7/07
STUDENT-ATHLETES: PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES
Kansas Athletics adheres to all NCAA, University, Conference rules and regulations related to student-athletes’ participation in promotional activities. NCAA rules specifically state when and under what conditions such activities are permissible, and they must be strictly followed when evaluating potential promotional activities for University of Kansas student-athletes.
The Director of Student-Athlete Development handles all requests for student-athlete participation in promotional activities. A required Promotional Activity Form is forwarded to the individual or organization conducting the activity. Completed forms bearing the signature of the individual or organization representative, are returned to the Director of Student-Athlete Development. Along with a completed form, the requesting agency must include a one-paragraph description of the request on agency letterhead. The Compliance Office reviews the request to ensure the request is permissible within the NCAA guidelines. The Compliance Office approves all requests for promotional activities by signing the Promotional Activity Form (on behalf of the Director of Athletics).
Specifically, NCAA Bylaw 12.5.1.1 states that a member institution or recognized entity thereof (e.g., fraternity, student government organization, etc.), member conference, non-institutional charitable, educational or nonprofit agency may use the student-athlete’s name, picture or appearance to support its charitable or educational activities or to support activities considered incidental to the student-athlete’s participation in intercollegiate athletics. As a prerequisite to the approval, the student-athlete and an authorized representative of the entity must sign a release statement ensuring that the student-athlete’s name, image or appearance is used in a manner consistent with the following requirements:
- The specific activity or project in which the student-athlete participates does not involve co-sponsorship, advertisement or promotion by a commercial agency other than through the reproduction of the sponsoring company’s regular trademark or logo printed on materials such as pictures, posters or calendars. Personal names, messages and slogans (other than an officially registered trademark) are prohibited. (Specifically, student-athletes may not appear as commercial spokesmen or representatives for companies. Furthermore, no monetary compensation (except allowable expenses) may be made to the student-athlete.);
- The name or picture of a student-athlete with remaining eligibility may not appear on an institution’s printed promotional items (e.g., poster, calendar) that includes a reproduction of a product with which a commercial entity is associated if the commercial entity’s officially registered trademark or logo also appears on the item.
- The student-athlete does not miss a class to participate in the activity; and
- All monies derived from the activity or project goes directly to the member institution, charitable organization, or educational agency.
The student-athlete, however, is permitted to receive legitimate and normal expenses from the University, charitable organization or educational agency related to participation in the activity, provided that it occurs within the state, or within a 100-mile radius of the campus.
The Compliance Office is responsible for evaluating requests by University, charitable, or educational entities desiring to use student-athletes to promote their causes or requesting a student-athlete for a community service event. Each organization requesting participation of student-athletes in promotional activities must complete a Promotional Activity Request Form. If the submitted form meets NCAA requirements, it is forwarded to the Director of Athletics, and the Compliance Office designee, for signatory approval.
Summer Sports Camps Promotions
Student-athletes involved in the promotion of any sports camps (institutional or private) must receive the approval of the Compliance Office.
An institutional staff member who conducts a camp independent of the institution may not use the names or pictures of student-athletes with remaining eligibility in the camp brochure if the student-athletes will not be employed as counselors at the camp. Such a brochure may include the name, picture and the institutional affiliation of any student-athlete who will be a counselor at the camp only to identify the student-athlete as a staff member and may not use the student-athlete’s name or picture in any other way to directly advertise or promote the camp.
