The Gonzaga Bulldogs Official Athletic Site

Agents

Gonzaga University has adopted the following policy concerning 'athlete agents'. It has been drafted to assist our student-athletes in pursuing professional athletic careers and endorsement deals.

It is the policy of Gonzaga University to prohibit any contacts between an agent seeking to represent a student-athlete of Gonzaga University in any individual contract negotiations with a professional sports team or as a professional athlete unless the agent has first registered with the Gonzaga University Compliance Office and is registered pursuant to the State of Washington Athlete Agent Act. Please see bottom of this page for agent registration information.

Any contract or agreements, written or oral, between a student-athlete and a professional team or athlete agent is prohibited by the NCAA prior to the exhaustion of the student-athlete's eligibility.

RELATIVE NCAA BYLAWS

12.3.1 General Rule An individual shall be ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if he or she ever has agreed (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing his or her athletics ability or reputation in that sport. Further, an agency contract not specifically limited in writing to a sport or particular sports shall be deemed applicable to all sports, and the individual shall be ineligible to participate in any sport.

12.3.1.1 Representation for Future Negotiations An individual shall be ineligible per Bylaw 12.3.1 if he or she enters into a verbal or written agreement with an agent for representation in future professional sports negotiations that are to take place after the individual has completed his or her eligibility in that sport.

12.3.1.2 Benefits from Prospective Agents An individual shall be ineligible per Bylaw 12.3.1 if he or she (or his or her relatives or friends) accepts transportation or other benefits from:

a. Any person who represents any individual in the marketing of his or her athletics ability. The receipt of such expenses constitutes compensation based on athletics skill and is an extra benefit not available to the student body in general; or

b. An agent, even if the agent has indicated that he or she has no interest in representing the student-athlete in the marketing of his or her athletics ability or reputation and does not represent individuals in the student-athlete's sport.

RELATIVE WASHINGTON STATE LAWS

RCW 19.225.030 Delivery of disclosure form
Any individual may not act as an athlete agent in this state unless on the day of initial contact with any student-athlete, the agent delivers the athlete agent disclosure form. (For information on the disclosure form, please visit the website below.)

RCW 19.225.070 Notice to educational institution
At least seventy-two hours prior to entering in to a contract and within seventy-two hours after entering into a contract, the athlete agent and the student-athlete shall both give notice of the contract to the athletic director of the educational institution.

RCW 19.225.080 Student-athlete's right to cancel
(1) A student-athlete may cancel a contract by giving notice to the agent within fourteen days after the contract is signed.

(2) A student-athlete may not waive the right to cancel a contract.

RCW 19.225.120 Civil remedies

An educational institution has a right of action against an agent or a former student-athlete for damages by a violation.

Washington has issued the following warning to student-athletes.
UNIFORM ATHLETE AGENT ACT

If you sign a contract:

(a) You may lose your eligibility to compete as a student-athlete in your sport;
(b) Both you and your agent are required to tell your athletic director, at least seventy-two hours prior to entering into a contract and again within seventy-two hours after entering into a contract.
(c) You may cancel this contract within fourteen days after signing it. Cancellation of the contract may not reinstate your eligibility.

For more information, visit: www.leg.wa.gov/RCW/index.cfm?fuseaction=chapterdigest&chapter=19.225

QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK AN AGENT

The first question: Are you registered with the Gonzaga University Compliance office?

Where and when did you graduate from law school? If you are not a lawyer, what are your educational credentials?

Have you ever been disbarred, suspended, reprimanded, censured or otherwise disciplined or disqualified as an attorney/agent or by the pertinent players association?

Are there currently any complaints or charges pending against you regarding your conduct as an attorney/agent by any bar or players association?

Have you ever been investigated or found to have violated any NCAA or players association rules?

Are you registered with the NBPA, MLBPA or other appropriate professional organization?

Can you provide me with a list of current and former clients?

What is your fee structure? Are your fees negotiable?

What other types of services (financial planning, tax services, etc.) do you offer your clients? Do you mind if I use my own accountant or financial planner?

Who will be negotiating my contract?

Who do you consider to be your tope clients?

Do you provide an annual statement to your clients? May I see an example?

How do you keep your clients informed of charges?

How and when are you paid?

What is the duration of the agreement?

What are the procedures for terminating the agreement?

More questions at http://www.ncaa.org/agents_amateurism

DO'S AND DON'TS DURING YOUR COLLEGIATE ELIGIBILTY

Do seek counseling about a future professional athletics career through your institution's professional sports counseling panel. Panels can help you: negotiate a contract, set up an agent interview program, assisting you in getting disability insurance, help you understand NCAA rules.

Do request information from a professional team or organization concerning your professional market value.

Do use the institution's professional sports counseling panel or your head coach to contact agents, professional sports teams or professional sports organizations on your behalf. Panel members or the coach are not permitted to receive compensation for such services.

In the sport of basketball, you may enter a professional league's draft without jeopardizing eligibility in that sport, provided you are not drafted and you declare in writing to your athletic director your intention to resume intercollegiate participation within 30 days after the draft.

You, along with your parents, are permitted to negotiate with a professional team.

Don't agree (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing your athletics ability.

Once an agreement (oral or written) is made with an agent or to compete in professional athletics, you are ineligible for participation in that intercollegiate sport, regardless of the legal enforceability of the contract.

Don't agree (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent until after your eligibility has ended, including postseason competition.

Don't allow yourself, your parents, relatives or friends to accept benefits from an agent, financial advisor, runner or any other person associated with an agency business. These benefits include (but are not limited to) transportation, money and gifts, regardless of the value of the benefit or whether it is used. If you reach an agreement with an agent, your college has the choice of whether to cancel your athletics scholarship from that day forward.

FOR AGENTS
If you are an agent wishing to contact a Gonzaga University student athlete, please download the Agent Registration Form and return it to the Gonzaga Athletics Compliance Office.

Agent Brochure

For More Information, Please Visit http://www.ncaa.org/agents_amateurism/