NCAA Regulations

12.02.1 Agent.  An agent is any individual who, directly or indirectly: 

(a) Represents or attempts to represent an individual for the purpose of marketing his or her athletics ability or reputation for financial gain; or

(b) Seeks to obtain any type of financial gain or benefit from securing a prospective student-athlete's enrollment at an educational institution or from a student-athlete's potential earnings as a professional athlete.

12.02.1.1 Application. An agent may include, but is not limited to, a certified contract advisor, financial advisor, marketing representative, brand manager or anyone who is employed or associated with such persons.

12.02.1.2 NCAA Certification Requirement -- Men’s Basketball. in men’s basketball, any individual who solicits a prospective or enrolled student-athlete to enter into an agency contract or attempts to obtain employment for an individual with a professional sports team or organization or as professional athlete must be certified and maintain active certification per the policies and procedures of the NCAA agent certification program.

12.3.1 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.

12.3.1.1 Exception -- Baseball -- Prior to Full-Time Collegiate Enrollment. [A] In baseball, prior to full-time collegiate enrollment, an individual who is drafted by a professional baseball team may be represented by an agent or attorney during contract negotiations. The individual may not receive benefits (other than representation) from the agent or attorney and must pay the going rate for the representation. If the individual does not sign a contract with the professional team, the agreement for representation with the agent or attorney must be terminated prior to full-time collegiate enrollment. 

12.3.1.3 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.

12.3.1.4 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. 

12.3.1.4 Exception - Career Counseling and Internship/Job Placement Services. A student-athlete may use career counseling and internship/job placement services available exclusively to student-athletes, provided the student-athlete is not placed in a position in which the student-athlete uses his or her athletics ability.

12.3.2 Legal Counsel. [A] Securing advice from a lawyer concerning a proposed professional sports contract shall not be considered contracting for representation by an agent under this rule, unless the lawyer also represents the individual in negotiations for such a contract