Is It Illegal to Receive Things from Coaches After Signing Day?

NCAA

The NCAA is the governing body of college sports. It is a nonprofit association comprising more than 1,000 voluntary member schools. The NCAA issues rules and regulations concerning recruiting, playing eligibility and scholarships, among other things related to collegiate athletics. The member schools have agreed to abide by NCAA rules and cooperate with NCAA investigations of suspected rule violations. However, the NCAA's powers are not similar to that of the legal justice system. Consequently, an NCAA rules violation is "illegal" in the eyes of the NCAA and its member schools, not in the eyes of a court of law.

Impermissible Benefits

According to NCAA rules, a coach may not give cash or things like airline tickets, restaurant meals, season tickets, merchandise or the use of an automobile to recruit a prospective student-athlete. After national signing day, all recruitment activity with respect to a student who has signed a national letter of intent must end. Moreover, NCAA rules prohibit coaches of the school where the student-athlete has committed to attend from providing that person with impermissible extra benefits, such as money, merchandise, meals, entertainment or transportation.

Student-Athletes

A student-athlete who takes cash or gifts from a coach before or after national signing day risks losing his or her eligibility to play collegiate sports. When a NCAA school finds out about a NCAA rules violation by a student-athlete, it must first declare him or her ineligible to play sports. The school may then ask the NCAA to reinstate the student-athlete. After investigating the alleged violation, the NCAA may reinstate the student-athlete unconditionally, reinstate with conditions or deny the school's request for reinstatement. Oftentimes, the NCAA will reinstate a student-athlete after he or she sits out a certain number of games. Additionally, the NCAA may require the student-athlete to repay the value of the impermissible benefits received.

Coaches

The sanctions that a coach receives for giving impermissible benefits to a student-athlete depend on the extent of the benefits given. Extensive or substantial impermissible benefits can be a Level 1 violation. Impermissible benefits that are more than minimal but less than extensive or substantial can amount to a Level 2 violation. A coach who commits a Level 1 or Level 2 violation could face a suspension from coaching ranging from 10 percent of a season's games to an entire season. Additionally, because of the coach's improper conduct, the NCAA could restrict the recruiting activities of the school, reduce the number of athletic scholarships it may offer in the future, and prohibit the school from participating in sports events.