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Agents

 

A priority within the SVSU Athletic Department is to protect our student-athletes' eligibility for as long as they wish to pursue collegiate athletics and then ensure that they can make informed decisions about those who will represent them when they are ready to pursue their professional careers.

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.  Additionally, 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 and could be deemed an agent.

League Rules
To the extent that individual professional leagues or players' associations have rules governing the conduct of agents, SVSU will support and adhere to those rules.

Tryouts with Professional Teams
Student-athletes may participate in tryouts with professional teams without losing their eligibility, provided they follow certain rules:

  • Student-athletes cannot miss class for a tryout with a professional team.
  • Student-athletes may receive actual and necessary expenses in conjunction with one 48-hour tryout per professional team.
  • A tryout may extend beyond 48 hours if the student-athlete pays any additional expenses, including return transportation.
  • A tryout paid for by the student-athlete may last any length of time, provided the student-athlete does not miss class.