13.10 Publicity

13.10.1 Presence of Media During Recruiting Contact. A member institution shall not permit a media entity to be present during any recruiting contact made by an institution's coaching staff member.

13.10.2 Publicity Before Commitment.

13.10.2.1 Comments Before Signing Commitment. Before the signing of a prospective student-athlete to a National Letter of Intent or an institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid or before the institution receives his or her financial deposit in response to its offer of admission, a member institution may comment publicly only to the extent of confirming its recruitment of the prospective student-athlete. The institution may not comment generally about the prospective student-athlete's ability or the contribution that the prospective student-athlete might make to the institution's team; further, the institution is precluded from commenting in any manner as to the likelihood of the prospective student-athlete committing to or signing with that institution.

13.10.2.1.1 Evaluations for Media, Recruiting Services. Athletics department staff members shall not evaluate or rate a prospective student-athlete for news media, scouting services or recruiting services prior to the prospective student-athlete's signed acceptance of the institution's written offer of admission as a student and/or written tender of financial assistance to be provided upon the prospective student-athlete's enrollment.

[13.10.3 through 13.10.7 renumbered as 13.10.2.2 through 13.10.2.6, unchanged.]

13.10.82.7 Photograph of Prospective Student-Athlete. It is permissible for an institution to photograph a prospective student-athlete during a campus visit to be used in the institution's permissible publicity and promotional activities (e.g., press release, media guide), but the photograph may not be provided to the prospective student-athlete. It is permissible for an institution to use a prospective student-athlete's photograph in printed institutional items (e.g., season-ticket brochure) that promote a sport's season in which the prospective student-athlete will participate as a student-athlete, provided the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid and the prospective student-athlete's name or photograph is not used in any promotional items that involve the purchase or receipt of commercial advertising (e.g., season-ticket advertisement in newspapers or on a billboard).

13.10.93 Media Release Regarding Signing Publicity After Commitment. Publicity released by an institution concerning a prospective student-athlete's commitment to attend the institution shall occur only There are no restrictions on publicity related to a after the prospective student-athlete after he or she has signed a National Letter of Intent or after the prospective student-athlete's signed acceptance of the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid or after the institution has received his or her financial deposit in response to its offer of admission, except as set forth in Bylaw 13.10.1. Such communications (with no limit on number or content) may be released to media outlets at the institution's discretion except as limited by Bylaw 13.10.9.2. However, an institution is prohibited from purchasing or receiving commercial advertising (e.g., print, media or billboard) to be used to identify a prospective student-athlete by name or picture.

13.10.9.1 Video Clips. It shall be permissible for an institution to show video clips of a prospective student-athlete during its announcement of the prospective student-athlete's signing, provided such publicity occurs only after the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or after the prospective student-athlete's signed acceptance of the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid. Other prospective student-athletes may appear in the video clips, provided the focus of the clips is related to the prospective student-athlete who has committed to the institution.

13.10.9.2 Announcement of All Signings. An institution may conduct one formal press conference on the institution's campus for the purpose of presenting the names of all prospective student-athletes in a sport who have signed a National Letter of Intent or accepted written offers of admission and/or financial aid from the institution, with the understanding that no prospective student-athletes (or their friends or relatives) may be in attendance at such an announcement.

13.10.9.3 Independent Announcement by Prospective Student-Athlete. Press conferences to announce a signing may be arranged independently by the prospective student-athlete (or the prospective student-athlete's family), provided there is no arrangement or involvement whatsoever by the institution or representatives of its athletics interests.

13.10.9.4 Celebratory Functions. Coaching staff members may attend functions designed to celebrate the institution's signees in the applicable sport and may discuss prospective student-athletes who have signed commitments to attend the institution, including discussions with working media, provided the institution previously has released communications of the prospective student-athletes' commitments to attend the institution to media outlets.

13.10.9.4.1 Highlight Video. An institution may produce a single highlight video (one per sport), which includes clips of prospective student-athletes who have signed a National Letter of Intent or accepted a written offer of admission and/or financial aid from the institution, to show in conjunction with celebratory functions. Other prospective student-athletes may appear in the video clips, provided the focus of the clips is related to the prospective student-athlete who has committed to the institution.

13.10.9.5 Signings on Campus. An institution is responsible for signings on its campus (whether involving an individual or a group of prospective student-athletes). Any contact by the media with prospective student-athletes on campus during the time the prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent or tender of financial aid shall be considered to be prima facie evidence of institutional involvement in arranging media involvement and shall be prohibited.