The NCAA News - News Features

Legislative assistance

1996 Column No. 40
NCAA Bylaws 13.12.1.3 and 13.16.1.4

Competition in conjunction with a high school, preparatory school or two-year college

The following information provides guidance to NCAA institutions regarding the manner in which an institution may be involved in hosting competitions involving prospective student-athletes in conjunction with an institutional contest. [Please note that Bylaw 13.16.1.4 is not stated accurately in the 1996-97 NCAA Manual. The information contained in this column reflects the editorial revisions necessary for correcting the language in 13.16.1.4.]

NCAA Division I

1. In the sports of basketball, football, gymnastics and volleyball, Division I institutions shall not permit competition between or among high schools, preparatory schools or two-year colleges to be conducted in conjunction with a collegiate athletics event.

2. An intercollegiate contest in the sports of basketball, football, gymnastics and volleyball may be scheduled on the same day as a high school, preparatory school or two-year college contest (without being considered to be scheduled "in conjunction" with that event) only if the college and the high school, preparatory school or two-year college events are conducted in separate sessions, separate tickets are sold for the events and the playing facility is cleared between the contests.

3. A high-school contest may be held in conjunction with a Division I institution's intercollegiate contest in sports other than basketball, football, gymnastics and volleyball, provided the following conditions are met:

a. The contest shall be regularly scheduled and approved by the appropriate state high-school authority.

b. The member institution shall not provide the high school with any financial compensation, including transportation expenses or a guarantee or percentage of the income realized from the contest.

c. The only expenses the member institution may incur are for the operating and maintenance costs associated with its facility's use for the high-school contest.

NCAA Division II

1. A Division II institution is permitted to host high-school contests in all sports held in conjunction with intercollegiate contests, provided the following conditions are met:

a. The contest shall be regularly scheduled and approved by the appropriate state high-school authority.

b. The institution shall not provide the high school with any financial compensation, including transportation expenses or a guarantee or percentage of the income realized from the contest.

c. The only expenses the institution may incur are the operating and maintenance costs associated with the use of its facility for the high-school contest.

2. In the sports of football, basketball, gymnastics and volleyball, all high schools, preparatory schools or two-year colleges involved must be located within a 50-mile radius of a institution hosting the event and all such competition must occur on the institution's campus.

3. In the sports of football, basketball, gymnastics and volleyball, the Division II member institutions shall not permit a high school, preparatory school or two-year college to compete in more than one contest (per sport) on the institution's campus during an academic year.

NCAA Division III

1. A Division III institution shall be permitted to host a high-school contest in all sports held in conjunction with intercollegiate contests, provided the following conditions are met:

a. The contest shall be regularly scheduled and approved by the appropriate state high-school authority.

b. The institution shall not provide the high school with any financial compensation, including transportation expenses or a guarantee or percentage of the income realized from the contest.

c. The only expenses the institution may incur are the operating and maintenance costs associated with the use of its facility for the high-school contest.

2. In Division III, all high schools, preparatory schools or two-year colleges involved must be located within a 50-mile radius of the institution hosting the event and all such competition must occur on the institution's campus.

3. In all sports, there is no limitation on the number of these contests that may be conducted during an academic year.

This material was provided by the legislative services staff as an aid to member institutions. If an institution has a question or comment regarding this column, such correspondence should be directed to Richard C. Perko, legislative assistant, at the NCAA national office. This information is available on the Collegiate Sports Network.