Athletics Risk Management and Compliance Services: Current Longhorns — Agent and Professional Tryout Issues
| Summer 2013 Agent Week Announcement |
The University of Texas at Austin will provide agent interview opportunities for student-athletes entering their final seasons of eligibility in the sports of football, basketball, swimming, soccer, and volleyball between Monday, June 24 and Friday, June 28, 2013. Athlete-agents or financial advisors wishing to participate must be registered with the Texas Secretary of State's office (as required). Those interested in participating must submit their requests to agentweek@athletics.utexas.edu no later than Monday, April 15, 2013. Submission of a request does not guarantee that any or all student-athletes requested will have an interest in meeting with you. Please see the Invitation Letter |
Agents
The goal of The University of Texas at Austin is to protect our student-athletes' eligibility for as long as they wish to pursue collegiate athletics and then ensure that they can make informed decisions about those who will represent them when they are ready to pursue their professional careers.
The University of Texas at Austin's agent policies are guided by three things: NCAA rules, state law and professional league rules, where applicable.
NCAA Rules
NCAA rules state that a student-athlete cannot have a written or verbal agreement with an agent or anyone who will market the student-athlete's athletics ability or reputation. Also, a student-athlete may not agree, verbally or in writing, to have an agent represent them in the future.
Student-athletes and their families may not receive benefits from an agent.
Who is an agent?
An agent is anyone who markets your athletics ability or reputation. Whether or not someone calls themselves an agent, if they perform the functions of an agent under NCAA rules, they are considered an agent. Activities such as these would make someone an agent:
- Negotiating with a professional team
- Contacting a professional team on your behalf
- Arranging tryouts with professional teams
- Sitting in on your negotiations with a professional team
Advisors
A student-athlete may have an advisor to help them evaluate their professional opportunities, but they must be careful that their advisor does not engage in any activities that would make them an agent under NCAA rules. As a good rule of thumb, an advisor can talk to you and your family, but if they are talking about you to any third parties (professional teams, media, scouts) they have probably crossed the line to being an agent.
The Laws of the State of Texas
Texas law requires, among other things, that any athlete-agent wishing to contact a student-athlete at a college or university in the state of Texas be registered with the Texas Secretary of State's office. For comprehensive details about applicable state law requirements please contact the Secretary of State's office.
League Rules
To the extent that individual professional leagues or players' associations have rules governing the conduct of agents, The University of Texas at Austin will support and adhere to those rules.
The University of Texas at Austin's Athlete-Agent Policy
The University of Texas at Austin requires that agents wishing to contact UT student-athletes be registered with the state of Texas's Secretary of State's office as required by state law. UT does not require agents to register separately with the University of Texas.
Agents wishing to contact student-athletes at UT may forward correspondence care of:
Blake Barlow
Director, Athletics Risk Management and Compliance Services
The University of Texas at Austin
P.O. Box 7399
Austin, Texas 78713-7399
In accordance with state law, UT holds agent interview weeks twice each year, one in fall and one in the spring. The fall agent week is for student-athletes in spring sports and the spring agent week is for student-athletes in fall sports. UT Compliance mails information about these events to all agents registered with the state of Texas.
Tryouts with Professional Teams
Student-athletes may participate in tryouts with professional teams without losing their eligibility, provided they follow certain rules:
- Student-athletes cannot miss class for a tryout with a professional team.
- Student-athletes may receive actual and necessary expenses in conjunction with one 48-hour tryout per professional team.
- A tryout may extend beyond 48 hours if the student-athlete pays any additional expenses, including return transportation.
- A tryout paid for by the student-athlete may last any length of time, provided the student-athlete does not miss class.
Links and Resources
- Do's and Don'ts Document
- Recipe for Success Checklist
- Questions to Ask Prospective Agents
- NCAA Amateurism Resources
- Texas Secretary of State's Agent Program
- Search for an agent registered in the state of Texas
- NFLPA Salary Cap and Agent Administration Department
- UT Student-Athlete Agent Policy
- UT Athlete Agent Questionnaire
