October 17, 2003
PRECAUTIONARY AGENT EDUCATION & MONITORING PROGRAM
Education of Student-Athletes: Recognizing the need to coordinate the presentation of information with student-athletes' evolving needs, the educational curriculum is divided into two levels. All student-athletes will be exposed to Level I, while only a select group of upperclassmen with potential professional athletics ability would be participants in Level II.
Level I. There is a need to educate all student-athletes about selected issues early in the student-athlete's collegiate career (e.g. freshman year). This will be a coordinated effort between the sports coaching staffs and the Compliance department. The content of the Level I education program will include:
1) Educate all student-athletes regarding University Policies regarding agents (contact, mail, reporting contact, complimentary tickets, agent registration, etc.).
2) NCAA rules regarding amateurism, tryouts with professional teams, use of agents, and promotional activities (include potential problems with financial advisors).
3) Explain the role and typical activities of an agent's intermediary (runner, bird dog, etc.).
4) Presentation of general information regarding professional careers (e.g. odds on making it, etc.).
5) At least one annual meeting to cover the above.
Level II. The primary role of the Compliance Office is to educate selected student-athletes with exceptional athletics ability regarding possible professional sports careers. It is important that these individuals be identified early in their collegiate attendance. Areas that the Compliance Office and coaches should review with these student-athletes include:
1) NCAA rules regarding amateurism, tryouts with professional teams, use of agents and promotional activities.
2) University Policies.
3) Warnings about Agents and their intermediaries.
4) Warnings about Financial Advisors (as intermediaries) and their intermediaries.
5) Penalties to student-athletes found to be in violation.
6) Penalties to institutions where such violations are discovered (i.e. return of bowl or championship moneys, etc.).
7) The negotiation process.
8) General league operating procedures and economic structure.
9) Financial management/planning.
10) The player evaluation process (e.g. selection criteria, combine camps, individual tryouts, etc.).
11) Agent selection process (i.e. questions to ask).
12) Contracts.
13) Career injury insurance.
14) Professional sports lifestyles.
15) Market value compensation scale.
In order to provide the maximum valuable information to our student-athletes, the Compliance Office, and Administration will begin providing consultants and speakers from the professional community, NFLPA, NBPA, Ed Garvey, etc. (whomever the student-athletes and coaching staff feel would be most valuable), in addition to former UNLV student-athletes who can provide first hand information about what it is to go through the agent and professional athletics experience.
Written Materials (i.e. news articles involving infraction [e.g. Tank Black, Joey Galloway, Damon Stoudamire] and penalties) will be provided to the student-athletes to provide information about real life situations.
Education of Family Members: The coaches and compliance staff will offer educational opportunities for a student-athlete's family members. These include:
1) A review of NCAA rules.
2) University policies regarding agents (contacts, mail, reporting contact, agent registration, etc.).
3) Provision of a complete outline of the Agent Registration program.
4) Parental group seminars (e.g. before home contests).
5) Individual meetings with coaches, and/or compliance staff (e.g. open-door policy).
6) Identify family member involvement/role in communications between student-athlete and Compliance staff, etc. (e.g. will they be present at education sessions or meetings with agents).
Education to Staff Members: UNLV personnel will be instructed in the NCAA regulations involving agents. The importance of reporting any possible infractions in order to protect our student-athletes and UNLV as a whole.
Coaches and UNLV staff members (especially G.A.s, trainers, managers, and academic advisors, those dealing closely with student-athletes on a daily basis) will be alerted to indicators, such as changes in lifestyles of student-athletes, that may indicate improper agency activities, and to report such changes to the appropriate director of athletics to investigate.
Common behaviors that may indicate impermissible or suspect "Agent Activity" are:
1) Notice student-athlete's dressing better.
2) New automobile's.
3) Parents at away contests, especially across the country. Coaches know family background and can give information about the ability of the family to afford this.
4) Student-athletes who do not return with the team from away contests. Especially those who make the request at the last minute (at game, just after game). Raises questions about who is paying.
5) Student-athletes who frequent Western Union.
6) Hear of money wired to bank accounts.
7) Comp ticket list should be closely reviewed to determine who those people receiving admission are. Student-athletes often give their comp tickets to runners (who may be former student-athletes) and/or agents.
8) Off campus housing above the normal type of accommodations, big TV's or stereo systems, cellular phones, pagers, etc.
9) Disability insurance not acquired through the institution.
All alleged reports of NCAA or institutional violations will be investigated. Any formal interviews with the student-athlete will be attended by the Head Coach, Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance, a University attorney, the appropriate senior administrator, and/or Director of Athletics. The student-athlete may be accompanied by council if desired.
Note: It is the primary mission of the University's Athletic Department to produce (via the educational system) a level of trust between the Compliance Office, Coaching Staff, administration, and our student-athletes and their parents (legal guardian) in order to allow them to "feel good" about asking questions of the Compliance Office in order to gain information about agents and the process.
Coaches are instructed in how to deal with contact with their student-athletes by agents and/or runners. The following information will give provide assistance should you ever encounter any situation with regards to Agent Activity.
