Hey athletes,
So the term recruiting inducement was another concept I wasn’t aware of. More importantly, I wanted to understand how it was connected to NIL.
In short: schools, coaches and administrators still cannot offer a unauthorized incentives, similar to how they couldn’t before NIL came into existence. Let’s jump right in:
What is a recruiting inducement?
A recruiting inducement is an incentive offered to only some athletes as a way to influence their decision to attend a particular college or university. Inducements are banned from the NCAA.
Can anybody besides boosters be responsible for recruiting inducements?
Yes, recruiting inducements can come from boosters, coaches, or colleges.
What are examples of a recruiting inducement?
Again, an inducement is any extra benefit that is not authorized by the NCAA, and this can take so many forms. A few scenarios may include:
- An athlete is offered money to commit to or to transfer to a university
- An athlete is offered perk or favors by a third party when committing or transferring to a university
- A school, coach or administrator that creates employment opportunities for relatives or friends of the student athlete
- An athlete who receives unapproved assistance in paying for course supplies
- An athlete or relative that receives free or reduced housing or rent
- An athlete who receives fee or discounted services ( like haircuts, spa services, auto repairs, etc.) that aren’t offered to all athletes or all students.
- Athletes who receive gifts (e.g. birthday or holiday gifts)
- Athletes who receive free tickets to concerts, sports events or community events
- Athletes who receive payment for work that is not performed
Can NIL deals be used as an incentive for recruiting?
No, athletes cannot bundle NIL deals into their recruiting benefit, and athletes cannot be guaranteed an NIL deal while being recruited.
Can recruiting inducements be athlete-specific or team specific?
Both! Athletes should weary of boosters or businesses that offer them an inducement individually, or to as a group to get friends or multiple athletes to commit to a program.
Are athletes the only individuals who can be swayed by inducements?
No. Staff members, coaches or any representative from an athletics department can attempt to make arrangements that give special benefits to athletes, their relatives, or their friends.
There are so many different rules and updates that pop up regularly. Here are a few things to look out for as a recruit:
- If you haven’t been asked yet, make sure you’re reporting any financial compensation you’ve made at the beginning of the academic year to a university official. This might include NIL partnerships, summer jobs, outside assistance other than your scholarship or financial aid packages.
- While NIL deals cannot be used as a recruiting incentive, you can seek out the support that colleges and universities provide student-athletes. It is okay to ask what resources your prospective school provides, while also seeing what existing partnerships or NIL deals athletes have.
- Go with your gut. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it might be. Ask for specific examples of NIL compensation and talk with student-athletes during the recruiting process. Having time to speak to my future teammates during my official visit helped my decision in picking my school. The same can be done in putting out feelers for legal, or illegal NIL practices.