CSU-Pueblo Athletics >> Compliance >> Amateurism 

Don't lose your college eligibility by becoming a professional.

The activities listed below may cause you to lose your eligibility. Since there are division-specific amateurism regulations, please contact NCAA student athlete reinstatement or membership services if you have additional questions.

You are NOT ELIGIBLE if you:

• Are paid (in any form) or accept the promise of pay for playing in an athletics contest;
• Sign a contract or verbally commit with an agent or a professional sports organization;
• Ask that your name be placed on a draft list [Note: In basketball, once you become a student-athlete at an NCAA school, you may enter a professional league's draft one time without jeopardizing your eligibility provided you are not drafted by any team in that league and you declare your intention in writing to return to college within 30 days after the draft];
• Use your athletics skill for pay in any form (for example, TV commercials, demonstrations);
• Play on a professional athletics team; or
• Participate on an amateur sports team and receive any salary, incentive payment, award, gratuity, educational expenses or expense allowances (other than playing apparel, equipment and actual and necessary travel, and room and board expenses). · Receive educational expenses to attend a high school or preparatory college (tuition and/or fees, room and/or board) from an agent, professional sports team/organization or representative of an institution's athletics interests.
• Receive gifts or other benefits (e.g., vehicle, jewelry, meals) because of your athletics ability or reputation.

Before enrolling in college, you may:

• Try out (practice with but not participate against outside competition) with a professional sports team at your expense;
• Receive actual and necessary expenses from any professional sports organizations for one visit per professional organization not in excess of 48 hours; and
• Receive a fee for teaching a lesson in a particular sport.

Division II Amateurism Legislation: Pre-Enrollment

NOTE: The following summary information is subject to change. The NCAA membership services staff should be consulted regarding the application of NCAA legislation.

A. Prize Money: It is permissible for an individual, prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, to accept prize money based on place finish. (Please note that if the student-athlete competes, the student-athlete may be subject to the seasons of competition rule.)

B. Contract: It is permissible for an individual, prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, to sign a contract with a professional team. (Please note that if the student-athlete competes, the student-athlete may be subject to the seasons of competition rule.)

C. Draft: It is permissible for an individual, prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, to enter the draft and be drafted. (Please note that if the student-athlete competes, the student-athlete may be subject to the seasons of competition rule.)

D. Salary: It is permissible for an individual, prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment, to accept a salary for participation in athletics. (Please note that if the student-athlete competes, the student-athlete may be subject to the seasons of competition rule.)

E. Educational Expenses: An individual is permitted to accept educational expenses (i.e., tuition, fees, room and board, and books) before collegiate enrollment from any individual or entity other than an agent, professional sports team/organization or a representative of an institution's athletics interests, provided such expenses are disbursed directly through the recipient's educational institution (e.g., high school, prep school).

F. Competition with Professionals: It is permissible for an individual to compete on a professional athletics team. (Please note that the student- athlete may be subject to the seasons of competition rule.)

G. Agent: An individual loses his or her amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if the individual enters into an agreement with an agent either before or after initial full-time collegiate enrollment.

H. Seasons of Competition Rule: If an individual, after his/her first opportunity to enroll in college and prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment engages in organized competition, the student-athlete shall be charged with one season of competition for every year he/she engages in organized competition. Further, the student-athlete must serve one academic year in residence. For specifics on organized competition and exceptions refer to NCAA Bylaw 14.2.4. AMATEURISM OVERVIEW: PRE-ENROLLMENT

Division II Amateurism Legislation: Post-Enrollment

NOTE: The following summary information is subject to change. The NCAA membership services staff should be consulted regarding the application of NCAA legislation.

Definition of a professional team: A professional team is any organized team that:

1. Is a member of a recognized professional sports organization;

2. Is directly supported or sponsored by a professional team or professional sports organization (see also Bylaw 12.6.1.1);

3. Is a member of a playing league that is directly supported or sponsored by a professional team or professional sports organization (see also Bylaw 12.6.1.1); or

4. Has an athlete receiving for his or her participation any kind of payment, directly or indirectly, from a professional team or professional sports organization (see also Bylaw 12.6.1.1).

B. Competition with Professionals:

An individual loses his or her amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if the individual, after full-time collegiate enrollment, competes on any professional athletics team and knows (or had reason to know) that the team is a professional athletics team, even if no pay or remuneration for expenses was received.

C. Draft:

An individual loses amateur status in a particular sport when the individual asks to be placed on the draft list or supplemental draft list of a professional league in that sport, even though:

1. The individual asks that his or her name be withdrawn from the draft list prior to the actual draft

2. The individual's name remains on the list but he or she is not drafted; or

3. The individual is drafted but does not sign an agreement with any professional athletics team. However, an enrolled student-athlete in the sport of basketball may enter a professional league's draft one time during his or her collegiate career without jeopardizing eligibility in that sport, provided the student-athlete is not drafted by any team in that league and the student-athlete declares his or her intention to resume intercollegiate participation within 30 days after the draft. The student-athlete's declaration of intent shall be in writing to the institution's director of athletics. (see also Bylaw 12.2.4.2.1)

D. Agent: An individual also loses his or her amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if the individual enters into an agreement with an agent either before or after initial full-time collegiate enrollment.

E. Salary: An individual also loses his or her amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if the individual accepts a salary for his/her participation in athletics.

F. Contract: An individual also loses his or her amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if the individual signs a contract with a professional team regardless of its legal enforceability or any consideration received.

G. Educational Expenses: An individual loses his or her amateur status and shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition in a particular sport if the individual accepts educational expenses subsequent to collegiate enrollment by an outside sports team or organization that are based in any degree on the recipient's athletics ability (except as specified in Bylaw 15.2.2.2), even if the funds are given to the institution to administer to the recipient.