One of the longest-running complaints against the NCAA has finally been changed, as the organization confirmed Tuesday that FBS programs will now be permitted to pay for up to two parent/guardians to accompany recruits on official visits.
The rule, officially dubbed Proposal 2015-52, was sponsored by the Football Oversight Committee and passed by a 14-1 vote. The official language of the proposal reads:
In bowl subdivision football, to permit an institution to pay the actual round-trip costs for a prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardians (expenses for up to two people) to accompany the prospective student-athlete on his official visit.
The rule will go into effect August 1.
Elsewhere in NCAA governance...
- Coaches have been given the green light that that telephone calls may be placed and electronic correspondence sent to a prospective student-athlete's coach who is the parent of a prospective student-athlete at an institution's discretion."
- FCS coaches are now permitted to conduct live recruiting evaluations during all-star game practices.
- Coaches may now attend funerals and provide donations up to $100 in the event of a death or life-threatening injury or illness for the extended families of players and recruits that have signed papers with their respective programs. Thank the SEC for that one.
- Coaches and athletics department staffers can now like, favorite and re-tweet recruits. Cue the legalese: "To establish exceptions to the prohibitions on endorsements of events that primarily involve prospective student-athletes, or endorsements of a prospective student-athlete's team or coach, or an athletics facility that is primarily used by prospective student-athletes, and an exception to the restrictions on publicity before commitment that permits actions (e.g., "like," "favorite," republish, "tag," etc.) by an institutional staff member on social media platforms that indicate approval of content on social media platforms that was generated by users of the platforms other than institutional staff members or representatives of an institution's athletics interests."
- The restrictions on electronic communication with recruits have now been lifted in FBS and FCS.
- Recruits that have signed NLIs or made a financial deposit with a university can now participate in off-season workouts in FBS and FCS.
- Players who begin practice during a season are now subject to a five-day acclimatization period in FBS and FCS.
- FBS teams playing at Hawaii may now open their seasons the weekend before Labor Day.
Wade into the NCAA's legislative matrix here.