Welcome to the University of Pittsburgh's Athletics Compliance web page for Agents and Careers in Pro Athletics. We are glad that you have taken the time to view this information and we hope that you find it helpful. You will note, Pitt Athletics is committed to the principle of amateurism in intercollegiate athletics. Therefore, the Compliance Office has provided the following topics and links to ensure that any interaction between Pitt student-athletes and agents or financial advisors is consistent with NCAA legislation.
These are some general guidelines to follow, but always keep in mind, if you ever have any questions, you can always contact someone in the Compliance Office.
General Rule regarding Agents
An individual shall be ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if he or she ever has agreed (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing his or her athletics ability or reputation in that sport. Further, an agency contract not specifically limited in writing to a sport or particular sports shall be deemed applicable to all sports, and the individual shall be ineligible to participate in any sport.
Student-Athlete Entering into an Agreement With Attorney
A student-athlete is not permitted to enter into an agreement with an attorney to represent the student-athlete in screening inquiries and analyzing offers from agents.
Student-Athletes Entering into an Agreement with Financial Advisors
A financial advisor can be treated as an agent for purpose of the application of NCAA legislation if he or she acts as an agent.
Accepting Benefits from Agents
A student-athlete (and his/her friends and relatives) are not permitted to accept any tangible benefits (gifts, money, use of car, etc.) from an agent even if the student has not entered into a written or verbal agreement with that agent.
Future Representation by an Agent
A student-athlete is not permitted to enter into a verbal or written agreement with an agent for future representation by such agent after the student-athlete's eligibility has expired.
Please remember that if you or any member of your family enters into any sort of agreement or accepts any benefits from an agent it can have serious consequences on your eligibility! If you have any further questions about agents, please feel free to see Dan Bartholomae in the Compliance Office.
Email: dbartholomae@athletics.pitt.edu
Office Phone: 412-648-8452
Cell Phone: 412-496-9587
1. What is an "agent" according to NCAA Rules?
An agent is any individual who markets your athletic ability to any professional team.
2. Am I allowed to have any type of agreement with an agent?
NO. You are not permitted to have a written or oral agreement with an agent, or anyone who is employed by or acting on behalf of an agent or sports agency (i.e. runner).
3. What is an "oral agreement with an agent"?
An oral agreement occurs if you verbally agree to have an agent perform any services (e.g. providing any expenses related to tryouts, arranging disability insurance, etc.) on your behalf OR if you have knowledge that an agent is performing such services.
4. Can my family or other individuals associated with me (e.g., high school coach, summer league coach, etc.) have an agreement with an agent to perform services on my behalf?
NO. Family members and other individuals are not permitted to enter into any agreements with an agent on your behalf.
5. Am I allowed to have an agreement with an agent for future representation?
NO. You are not permitted to agree to a future representation agreement with an agent.
6. Prior to a professional league draft, I am contacted by agents who wish to represent me. Can I reach an agreement with an agent to represent me without jeopardizing my remaining eligibility?
NO. If you or your parents ever reach a verbal or written agreement with an agent, your eligibility at an NCAA school will be jeopardized.
7. May I allow an agent, attorney or other outside individual to contact professional teams on my behalf to negotiate potential contracts and/or to set-up professional try-outs, even if I have not entered into an agreement with them for their services?
NO. Any individual who contacts a professional team on your behalf is considered to be acting as an agent.
8. Is it permissible for a student-athlete to have an advisor, but not an agent?
It is permissible for a student-athlete to have an advisor, but not an agent, without jeopardizing eligibility at an NCAA school. Under NCAA regulations, a student-athlete and his parents are permitted to receive advice from a lawyer or other individual concerning a proposed professional contract, provided the advisor does not represent the student directly in negotiations for a contract. It is important to note that in order to maintain eligibility at an NCAA school, the student-athlete must compensate the advisor at his or her normal rate.
9. May I receive any benefits (e.g., transportation or meals) from an agent without jeopardizing my NCAA eligibility?
NO. A student-athlete will be ineligible if he/she accepts any transportation or other benefits from any person who wishes to represent him or her in the marketing of athletics ability. However, this rule does not prohibit a student-athlete from having a meal with someone who wishes to represent him/her, provided each pays for the actual cost of their meal and arranges for transportation separately.
General Rule:
NCAA rules do not prohibit meetings or discussions with an agent, but you would jeopardize your collegiate eligibility if you agree (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent, regardless of whether the agreement becomes effective immediately or after your last season of collegiate eligibility. Additionally, the receipt of any benefits or gifts by you, your family, or friends from an agent or his representative (i.e. a "runner") would jeopardize your collegiate eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers:
Q: Prior to a professional league draft, I am contacted by agents who wish to represent me. Can I reach an agreement with an agent to represent me without jeopardizing my remaining eligibility?
A: No. If you or your parents ever reach a verbal or written agreement with an agent, your eligibility at an NCAA school will be jeopardized.
Q: Is it permissible for a student-athlete to have an advisor, but not an agent?
A: It is permissible for a student-athlete to have an advisor, but not an agent, without jeopardizing eligibility at an NCAA school. Under NCAA regulations, a student-athlete and his parents are permitted to receive advice from a lawyer or other individual concerning a proposed professional contract, provided the advisor does not represent the student directly in negotiations for a contract. It is important to note that in order to maintain eligibility at an NCAA school, the student-athlete must compensate the advisor at his or her normal rate.
Q: May I receive any benefits (e.g., transportation or meals) from an agent without jeopardizing my NCAA eligibility?
A: No. A student-athlete will be ineligible if he/she accepts any transportation or other benefits from any person who wishes to represent him or her in the marketing of athletics ability. However, this rule does not prohibit a student-athlete from having a meal with someone who wishes to represent him/her, provided each pays for the actual cost of their meal and arranges for transportation separately.
TO MAINTAIN AMATEUR STATUS AND REMAIN ELIGIBLE, A STUDENT-ATHLETE:
MAY NOT
- agree, orally or in writing, to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing his or her athletic ability or reputation in that sport
- agree, orally or in writing, to be represented by an agent for future professional sports negotiations
- receive, nor may his/her relatives and friends receive, benefits of any kind from an agent. The benefits include (but are not limited to) transportation, money and gifts, regardless of the value of the benefit
- try out with a professional athletics team in a sport or permit a professional athletics team to conduct medical examinations during any part of the academic year (including any intervening vacation periods) while enrolled in a collegiate institution as a regular full-time student
MAY
- seek counseling about a future professional athletics career through the University's professional sports counseling panel
- personally request information from a professional team or organization concerning his/her market value
- use the University's professional sports counseling panel or head coach to contact agents, professional sports teams, or professional sports organizations on the student-athlete's behalf
- secure advice from an attorney or other third party concerning a proposed professional contract, provided the attorney or third party does not represent the student-athlete in negotiations for that contract. An attorney may not be present during any discussions of contract offer with a professional team nor may the attorney have direct contact with the professional sports organization on the student-athlete's behalf. The presence of an attorney during these discussions is considered representation by an agent
- try out with a professional organization in a sport during the summer or during the academic year while not a full-time student-athlete, provided they do not receive any form of expenses or other compensation from the professional organization
General Rule: Securing advice from any entity concerning a proposed professional sports contract shall not be considered contracting for representation by an agent unless the entity also represents the individual in negotiations for such a contract. Therefore, a student-athlete is permitted to have an advisor assist him or her in reviewing a proposed professional sports contract provided the advisor never represents the student-athlete directly in contract negotiations.
The advisor is permitted to:
- Discuss merits of a contract offer from a professional team.
- Give suggestions about the type of offer from a professional team the student-athlete should consider.
- Attend professional on-campus tryouts with the student-athlete.
The advisor is not permitted to:
- Represent the student-athlete directly in contract negotiations.
- Make any direct contact (in person, by telephone, or by mail) with a professional team on behalf of the student-athlete.
- Arrange for any try-outs or private workouts between the student-athlete and a professional team.
- Be present during discussions of a professional contract between a student-athlete and a professional team.
- Provide free services or perform services at any rate other than the normal, going rate for that advisor.
- Perform services for a student-athlete in exchange for future representation as an agent.
- Screen inquiries and analyze offers from prospectibe agents.
Please remember that if an advisor acts as an agent at any point during your dealings with him or her, this will jeopardize your eligibility. In addition, if you make a verbal agreement with an advisor to have that advisor or an associate of the advisor become your agent at a later date, you will jeopardize your eligibility.
Information regarding Pre-Draft Camps:
• An enrolled student-athlete in basketball using the draft exception may accept expenses (as described below) ONLY from a professional sports organization to attend that organization's pre-draft camp.
In order to maintain eligibility the student-athlete must:
• Receive ONLY expenses that are actual and necessary and these expenses must be disbursed directly to the student-athlete from the professional sports organization hosting the camp.
- Actual and necessary expenses are limited to:
- Travel Expenses
- Hotel/Lodging expenses
- Meal Allowance
• NOT accept any actual and necessary expenses or benefits received from an outside entity other than the professional organization (such as a booster or an agent).
• NOT accept any expenses or benefits outside of what is considered actual and necessary (i.e. entertainment expenses) from ANY entity other than your family.
• NOT participate in any outside competition (games or scrimmages) as a representative of a professional team. Impermissible outside competition would include any games or scrimmages not associated directly with the tryout and/or involving opponents/teammates not involved with the tryout.
• KEEP a record of the amount of expenses received and copies of all receipts for actual and necessary expenses. These receipts must be filed with Dan Bartholomae in the Compliance Office at the conclusion of the camp.
If a student-athlete does not meet the above criteria, they jeopardize their eligibility for intercollegiate athletics.
Information regarding Professional Tryouts:
• An enrolled student-athlete with eligibility remaining may tryout with a professional athletics team at any time and receive actual and necessary expenses from the professional team associated with the tryout.
In order to maintain eligibility the student-athlete must:
• NOT miss any class during the time period associated with the tryout.
• NOT participate in more than one tryout per professional team.
• NOT allow any outside individual (i.e. agent, advisor, booster, friend) to make a direct contact (i.e. phone, mail, in person) with a professional team on their behalf, and/or arrange for the tryout to take place.
• LIMIT each try-out to a 48 hour period in order to receive the actual and necessary expenses associated with the tryout.
- 48 hour period begins at the time the student-athlete arrives at the tryout location.
- The student-athlete must depart the location of the tryout immediately at the conclusion of the 48 hour period in order to receive return transportation expenses.
- A tryout may extend beyond the 48 hour period if the student-athlete self-finances the additional expenses (including return transportation). The student-athlete still may not miss any class associated with a tryout longer than 48 hours.
• Receive ONLY expenses that are actual and necessary and these expenses must be disbursed directly from the professional sports team hosting the tryout.
- Actual and necessary expenses are limited to:
- Travel Expenses
- Hotel/Lodging expenses
- Meal Allowance
• NOT accept any actual and necessary expenses or benefits from an outside entity other than the professional team (such as a booster or an agent).
• NOT accept any expenses or benefits outside of what is considered actual and necessary (i.e. entertainment expenses) from ANY entity other than your family.
• NOT participate in any outside competition (games or scrimmages) as a representative of a professional team.
• KEEP a record of the amount of expenses received and copies of all receipts for actual and necessary expenses. These receipts must be filed with Dan Bartholomae at the conclusion of the tryout.
If a student-athlete does not meet the above criteria, they jeopardize their eligibility for intercollegiate athletics.
