Drake University Athletics

AGENTS

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NCAA Rules
NCAA rules state that a student-athlete cannot have a written or verbal agreement with an agent or anyone who will market the student-athlete's athletics ability or reputation. Also, a student-athlete may not agree, verbally or in writing, to have an agent represent them in the future.
Student-athletes and their families may not receive benefits from an agent.

Who is an agent?
An agent is anyone who markets your athletics ability or reputation. Whether or not someone calls themselves an agent, if they perform the functions of an agent under NCAA rules, they are considered an agent. Activities such as these would make someone an agent:

• Negotiating with a professional team
• Contacting a professional team on your behalf
• Arranging tryouts with professional teams
• Sitting in on your negotiations with a professional team

Advisors
A student-athlete may have an advisor to help them evaluate their professional opportunities, but they must be careful that their advisor does not engage in any activities that would make them an agent under NCAA rules. As a good rule of thumb, an advisor can talk to you and your family, but if they are talking about you to any third parties (professional teams, media, scouts) they have probably crossed the line to being an agent.
 
NCAA rules regarding agents are below:
General Rule
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.

Representation for Future Negotiations
An individual shall be ineligible per Bylaw 12.3.1 if he or she enters into a verbal or written agreement with an agent for representation in future professional sports negotiations that are to take place after the individual has completed his or her eligibility in that sport.

Benefits from Prospective Agents
An individual shall be ineligible per Bylaw 12.3.1 if he or she (or his or her relatives or friends) accepts transportation or other benefits from:
(a) Any person who represents any individual in the marketing of his or her athletics ability. The receipt of such expenses constitutes compensation based on athletics skill and is an extra benefit not available to the student body in general; or
(b) An agent, even if the agent has indicated that he or she has no interest in representing the student-athlete in the marketing of his or her athletics ability or reputation and does not represent individuals in the student-athlete's sport.
 
Policy:

1. Drake student-athletes (and parents/legal guardians) may not have in person contact with sports agents until they have exhausted their eligibility or declare their intent to forego any remaining intercollegiate athletics eligibility and turn professional, unless such contact is approved and arranged by the Director of Athletics (or designee).
2. If a student-athlete or his/ her relatives are contacted by an agent or their representative, face-to-face, by telephone or by written correspondence, the student-athlete should:
   1. Advise the agent that he/ she and his/ her family may not have any personal contact with agents until his/ her eligibility is exhausted;
   2. Request the agent to submit copies of all written correspondence from agents to the Athletics Compliance;
   3. Advise the agent that he/ she will schedule interviews when his/ her eligibility is exhausted unless the interview is approved and arranged by the Athletics Director (or designee).
3. Agents must register with the Drake Compliance Office prior to contacting student-athletes.
4. Agents must demonstrate that they are properly licensed by the State of Iowa.
5. Any written correspondence sent to student-athletes in care of their coaches should be submitted to the Compliance Office.
6. All written correspondence from properly-registered agents will be distributed to student-athletes when their eligibility has been exhausted.
7. Student-athletes must notify the Drake Compliance Office any time they have contact with an agent.
8. Student-athletes who do not abide by NCAA rules and the policies of the Drake Compliance Office will be disciplined.
9. Agents who do not abide by the policies of the Drake Compliance Office may not contact student-athletes and may be reported to the governing body of the applicable professional sport and/ or to local law enforcement.

Procedure:

1. Each agent that would like to make contact with Drake student-athletes must become properly licensed in the State of Iowa.
2. Each agent must then register with the Drake Compliance Office prior to contacting any student-athletes. They register by completing and submitting the Agent Registration Form.
3. Each Agent Registration Form will be kept on file in the Compliance Office.
4. All written correspondence to current student-athletes should be sent to the student-athlete in care of the Compliance Office.
5. The Compliance Office will hold the correspondence on file until the student-athlete has exhausted his or her eligibility at which point the correspondence will be given to him or her.
6. If a Drake student-athlete (or parents/legal guardians) would like to contact an agent prior to the time that they exhaust their eligibility or declare their intent to forego any remaining intercollegiate athletics eligibility and turn professional, they should complete and submit the Agent Permission to Contact Authorization form to the Athletics Compliance Office for approval.