16.7.1 Away-From-Home Contests
The institution may pay the actual costs (but may not provide cash) for reasonable entertainment that takes place within a 100-mile radius of where a team plays or practices in connection with an away-from-home contest or en route to or from such a contest.
Interpretation: It is not permissible for an institution to provide cash to student-athletes for team entertainment in conjunction with away-from-home contests, except as permitted in NCAA Bylaws 16.8.1.5 (NCAA Championships). (1/30/92 Official).
16.7.1.1 Professional Sports Tickets
Complimentary tickets to professional sports contests shall not be provided to student-athletes, unless the tickets are provided by the institution (or by a representative of athletics interests through the institution) for entertainment purposes to student-athletes involved in an away-from-home contest. Under the latter circumstances, the institution may pay actual costs for reasonable entertainment that takes place during a team trip.
16.7.2 Films/Movies/Videotapes
The institution may rent a film or movie, provide pay-per-view movies in the student-athletes’ hotel rooms or take its intercollegiate team to the movies in conjunction with the student-athletes’ home or away-from-home contest (immediately before or during the road trip), the night before a contest without the film or movie being considered an extra benefit not available to the student body. Such entertainment the night before a contest is considered a benefit incidental to the student-athlete’s participation.
Snacks: It is permissible for student-athletes to receive a snack the night before an institution’s contest as a benefit incidental to athletics participation. (11/93 Official)
16.8.1.1 Practice
Expenses may be paid for practice sessions only if they are associated with an away-from-home contest or conducted at a site located within the member institution’s state or, if outside that state, no more than 100 miles from that institution’s campus.
16.8.1.1.1 Practice Sites on Road Trips
Any practice on an extended road trip shall take place either at the competition site or on a direct route between two consecutive competition sites. It is not permissible for an institution to schedule practice sessions at other locations in order to provide entertainment opportunities for team members.
16.8.1.1.4 On- or Off-Campus Practice Sites
An institution may transport student-athletes from a central on-campus site (e.g., locker room) to an on- or off-campus practice site.
16.8.1.2 Competition While Representing Institution
An institution may provide actual and necessary travel expenses (e.g., transportation, lodging and meals) to a student-athlete for participation in athletics competition, provided the student-athlete is representing the institution (competes in the uniform of the institution) and is eligible for collegiate competition. Such competition includes:
a) Regularly scheduled intercollegiate athletics events;
b) NCAA championship events and NGB championship events in an emerging sport;
c) A certified postseason football game (see Bylaws 18.7 and 30.9 for conditions required for certification);
d) Non-collegiate open, amateur competition; and
e) Other institutional competition permissible under NCAA legislation, including postseason events.
Expenses for Additional Student-Athletes to Attend Championships: It is permissible for an institution that is participating in an NCAA championship to provide expenses to attend the championship to any student-athlete who is eligible to represent the institution in intercollegiate competition, even if the student-athlete may not actually represent the institution in the championship due to the restriction on the number of student-athletes who may participate in the competition. (11/94 Staff)
Regular Season Contest: It is not permissible for an institution to reroute a return flight through various cities in order to accommodate student-athletes who wish to return home after the regular season contest (e.g., rerouting a flight to a specific city because a connecting flight out of that city would help the student-athlete get home). (6/94 Staff)
Hotel Bill Incidental Expenses: A student-athlete (rather than the student-athlete’s institution) would be required to pay for incidental expenses the individual incurred in conjunction with a hotel bill for one of the institution’s away games, unless the expenses fall within the permissible actual and necessary expenses the student-athlete may receive for such contests. (2/90 Official)
16.8.1.2.1 Departure/Return Expense Restrictions
An eligible student-athlete may receive actual and necessary expenses to represent the institution in athletics competition, provided the student-athlete departs for the competition no earlier than 48 hours prior to the start of the actual competition and remains no more than 36 hours following the conclusion of the actual competition even if the student-athlete does not return with the team.
Institution’s team traveling for multi-competition or multi-day event. In a situation where the 48/36 hour limitation is applicable, an institution that is participating in a multi-competition or multi-day event (e.g., conference tournament) may depart 48 hours prior to the event’s first round of competition (as opposed to 48 hours prior to the institution’s first scheduled competition), and may remain 36 hours after the conclusion of the last contest (even if the institution is not participating in the last contest). (6/94 Official and 12/92 Staff)
16.8.1.2.1.1 Exceptions
The time limitations related to the provision of travel expenses do not apply in the following circumstances:
1) Travel prior to and following contests in Hawaii or Alaska;
2) Travel prior to and following contests in the 48 contiguous states for member institution located in Hawaii and Alaska;
3) Travel prior to and following regular-season competition that takes place during the institution’s official vacation period during the academic year;
4) Travel prior to contests in NCAA Championship events, NGB Championship events in an emerging sport or certified postseason football games;
5) Travel prior to the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame benefit game of the American Football Coaches Retirement Trust benefit game
6) Travel prior to and following regular-season competition that takes place in one or more foreign countries on one trip during the prescribed playing season and limited to not more than once every four years; or
7) Travel prior to the United States Gymnastics Federation (USGF) collegiate championships.
8) Travel prior to and following contests when inclement weather (e.g., hurricanes, snow storm) requires the institution to adjust original travel plans to depart no more than 72 hours prior to the start of the actual competition or return no more than 60 hours following the conclusion of the actual competition. An institution that uses this exception is required to annually submit a detailed summary to the NCAA national office.
Travel During Vacation Period: An institution (team or individual student-athlete) traveling to a regular-season competition during the institution’s official vacation period may depart for the competition either 48 hours prior to the start of the competition or at the beginning of the institution’s official vacation period. Further, an institution (team or individual student-athlete) shall return to campus by the end of the institution’s official vacation period or depart from the competition site not more than 36 hours following the conclusion of the event. (9/97 Staff)
16.8.1.2.3 Meal – Allowance Limitation
All student-athletes on the same team must receive identical meal allowances on intercollegiate trips and during vacation periods when student-athletes are required to remain on the institution’s campus for organized practice sessions or competition. Such allowances may not exceed the amount provided by the institution to institutional staff members on away-from-campus trips and may not be provided for a particular meal if the student-athlete receives that mal (or its equivalent) from another source.
Volunteer and Undergraduate Assistant Coaches. Volunteer and Undergraduate Assistant Coaches may receive no more than the allowance given to the student-athletes on these road trips.
16.8.1.3 Other Competition
During an academic year in which a student-athlete is eligible to represent an institution in athletics competition (or in the following summer), an institution may provide actual and necessary expenses related to participation in the following activities:
a) Established national championship events (including junior national championships);
b) Olympic, Pan American, World Championships, World Cup and World University Games qualifying competition; and
c) USOC Olympic Festival basketball and volleyball tryouts.
