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Social Media and Future Student Athletes

MrTitleist

MrTitleist

Moderator
Staff member
Since it's that time of year again where fans take it upon themselves to recruit athletes to UM using various social media outlets, this is a reminder that doing so is an NCAA violation. I got this from the director of compliance at Wyoming this morning, as there were some questions about it on my forum this week, and we have a couple of idiot fans who think they need to be recruiters.

=====
And here's UWs policy on social media as dictated by the NCAA:

Social Media Madness: Leave the Recruiting to the Coaches!

Over the past two years, social media websites (Twitter, Facebook) have changed the face of recruiting. Because of the digital recruiting age, the NCAA has started to regulate how boosters can interact with prospective student-athletes on social media websites. Boosters may not initiate or accept “friend” requests of prospects, but they may “follow” them on twitter. Fan should not post on a prospect’s wall, respond to a tweet or take any other action on social media that would be considered “contacting the prospect.” While technology has changed the game, the general rules stay the same. Please leave the recruiting to the coaches!! If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our compliance staff.

Social Media 101

· Boosters/fans may interact with current student-athletes on twitter/facebook, etc. Our Cowboys and Cowgirls appreciate the support!

· Boosters/fans may also interact with prospective student-athletes (recruits) via social media PROVIDED that recruit has signed a National Letter of Intent. VERBAL commitments are not enough. Boosters/fans should not reach out to recruits in attempt to persuade them to come to Wyoming. UW Coaches appreciate the support, but please leave the recruiting to the coaches!!

o Rule of Thumb – Do not attempt to contact/communicate with any UW recruits until the University of Wyoming Athletic Department has made an official announcement about a future Cowboy or Cowgirl.

· *Any recruiting solicitations from outside of the UW Athletic Department results in an institutional NCAA violation. Please see the link on a recent violation committed by the CEO of Twitter that Michigan had to file.

o http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... on-twitter
 
How does the NCAA differentiate between true fans and lets say hypothetically one of the many classless Cat fans that could impersonate a Griz fan and add, chat or post things detrimental to Montana's recruiting process? It would seem this would be a major concern as it would be a very easy thing to do to a rival or a recruit that a person would want to sign with a particular school?
 
MrTitleist said:
Since it's that time of year again where fans take it upon themselves to recruit athletes to UM using various social media outlets, this is a reminder that doing so is an NCAA violation. I got this from the director of compliance at Wyoming this morning, as there were some questions about it on my forum this week, and we have a couple of idiot fans who think they need to be recruiters.

=====
And here's UWs policy on social media as dictated by the NCAA:

Social Media Madness: Leave the Recruiting to the Coaches!

Over the past two years, social media websites (Twitter, Facebook) have changed the face of recruiting. Because of the digital recruiting age, the NCAA has started to regulate how boosters can interact with prospective student-athletes on social media websites. Boosters may not initiate or accept “friend” requests of prospects, but they may “follow” them on twitter. Fan should not post on a prospect’s wall, respond to a tweet or take any other action on social media that would be considered “contacting the prospect.” While technology has changed the game, the general rules stay the same. Please leave the recruiting to the coaches!! If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our compliance staff.

Social Media 101

· Boosters/fans may interact with current student-athletes on twitter/facebook, etc. Our Cowboys and Cowgirls appreciate the support!

· Boosters/fans may also interact with prospective student-athletes (recruits) via social media PROVIDED that recruit has signed a National Letter of Intent. VERBAL commitments are not enough. Boosters/fans should not reach out to recruits in attempt to persuade them to come to Wyoming. UW Coaches appreciate the support, but please leave the recruiting to the coaches!!

o Rule of Thumb – Do not attempt to contact/communicate with any UW recruits until the University of Wyoming Athletic Department has made an official announcement about a future Cowboy or Cowgirl.

· *Any recruiting solicitations from outside of the UW Athletic Department results in an institutional NCAA violation. Please see the link on a recent violation committed by the CEO of Twitter that Michigan had to file.

o http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... on-twitter
Click to expand...

Speaking of that, I see Malik Watson signed with San Jose State
 
As frustrated as we get while seeing Cats recruits verbally announce their intentions for the whole world to see, I don't mind for a minute the Griz recruits (of which there are more than advertised) not post their intentions.

From a high school coaches perspective, get the media and fans out of the recruiting picture. There is way too much pressure for kids to make the 'right' choice, and twitter/facebook make that decision even more difficult. These kids already have an intense desire to please their friends, family, community, the last thing they also need on their plate is 10,000 people facebook/twitter stalking their every move.

Yes it allows us as a fans to pass the time until signing day by salivating over hudl highlights, but in the end it makes for a better and more recruiting process as the communication process stays between the coaches, players and their families.
 
MrTitleist said:
Since it's that time of year again where fans take it upon themselves to recruit athletes to UM using various social media outlets, this is a reminder that doing so is an NCAA violation. I got this from the director of compliance at Wyoming this morning, as there were some questions about it on my forum this week, and we have a couple of idiot fans who think they need to be recruiters.

=====
And here's UWs policy on social media as dictated by the NCAA:

Social Media Madness: Leave the Recruiting to the Coaches!

Over the past two years, social media websites (Twitter, Facebook) have changed the face of recruiting. Because of the digital recruiting age, the NCAA has started to regulate how boosters can interact with prospective student-athletes on social media websites. Boosters may not initiate or accept “friend” requests of prospects, but they may “follow” them on twitter. Fan should not post on a prospect’s wall, respond to a tweet or take any other action on social media that would be considered “contacting the prospect.” While technology has changed the game, the general rules stay the same. Please leave the recruiting to the coaches!! If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our compliance staff.

Social Media 101

· Boosters/fans may interact with current student-athletes on twitter/facebook, etc. Our Cowboys and Cowgirls appreciate the support!

· Boosters/fans may also interact with prospective student-athletes (recruits) via social media PROVIDED that recruit has signed a National Letter of Intent. VERBAL commitments are not enough. Boosters/fans should not reach out to recruits in attempt to persuade them to come to Wyoming. UW Coaches appreciate the support, but please leave the recruiting to the coaches!!

o Rule of Thumb – Do not attempt to contact/communicate with any UW recruits until the University of Wyoming Athletic Department has made an official announcement about a future Cowboy or Cowgirl.

· *Any recruiting solicitations from outside of the UW Athletic Department results in an institutional NCAA violation. Please see the link on a recent violation committed by the CEO of Twitter that Michigan had to file.

o http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... on-twitter
Click to expand...
This would be impossible for a school to control or enforce. The definition of a booster as used by the NCAA is so broad as to include anyone who buys ticket to a game. In other words almost any fan. If a potential recruit has a facebook page, the University could not prohibit a fan from contacting or posting on the kid's page. I assume the NCAA would apply some common sense to this and not care if a random "booster" makes contact. Oh wait, it is the NCAA.
 
Doesn't matter.. if they see it, they can enforce it, and they rely on others to help them (as I got from the UW compliance guy).. he said it's impossible to see everything, but if they see it they'll report it.
 
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