The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Social media and recruiting
04.07.2014 | Compliance
Here are a few highlights of a recent educational column the NCAA issued regarding social media and recruiting.
- It is permissible to send email equivalent functions (e.g., DM on Twitter, Inbox messages on Twitter, Instagram Direct) available on social media platforms after the first permissible date for written correspondence.
- You may friend, follow or otherwise "connect" on social media websites prior to the first permissible date provided there is no communication until the first permissible date.
- A coach or staff member cannot publicly communicate with a PSA on social media until they sign an NLI or ASA, reference the PSA (ex. Name, nickname), or forward/republish identifiable information by a PSA (ex. "Retweet")
- A current student-athlete and PSA can connect and communicate publicly, provided that the communication is not at the direction of the coaches and it does not relate to the PSA's recruitment.
- A coach cannot send a generic congratulatory message which mentions a specific high school on social media. (ex. a tweet that states, "Good luck, City High School during the 2013 soccer season!") If the PSA is an athletics staff member's child a congratulatory message can be sent as long as the message does not comment on another PSA who has not signed an NLI or ASA with UT.
- It is not permissible to post a congratulatory message to a high school coach, even if a pre-existing relationship exists (e.g. "Congrats, Coach Smith, on your 400th career victory! Proud of you, my friend.") It is not permissible to comment on a specific facility primarily used by prospects (e.g. "Great ballgame at Township High School. One of the best high school baseball fields in the country!"). It is permissible to post a message related to a presence at a high school or facility primarily used by prospects (e.g. "Attending a ballgame at Township High School.").
