FROM: Myles Brand

President.

SUBJECT: Corporate Sponsorship of NCAA Institutional Competitive Events.

The NCAA membership has raised concerns regarding institutional participation in competitive events that include corporate sponsors whose ideals and values may not be compatible with the Association?s principles. This concern originated with the knowledge that several Division I institutions will be participating in the Hooters Collegiate Match Play Championship, a certified contest in men?s and women?s golf, during the 2003-04 academic year. Specifically, the membership has expressed concern that this particular event sponsor may be construed as a business that portrays women in a disrespectful, demeaning or degrading manner and, therefore, not an appropriate entity that should be associated with NCAA competitive events.

Historically, the NCAA Certified Contests Subcommittee of the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet has not considered the sponsorship of such events to be a factor in the event certification decision; however, a perception exists that such certification serves as an NCAA stamp of approval for intercollegiate athletics events. These events are simply required to submit an executed contract with such a sponsor, and the ideals and values of a sponsor are not a factor in the certification decision. The subcommittee believes each member institution has the autonomy to choose events in which to involve its intercollegiate athletics squads, and the subcommittee has never been charged with making such subjective decisions.

This has led me to the conclusion that institutions should be reminded of the Association?s principles of equal treatment for all individuals, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation. While it is not appropriate to single out any particular corporate sponsor, I strongly believe the membership has an obligation to each student-athlete to promote this principle and not involve its student-athletes in any event aligned with a corporate sponsor that may hold a conflicting system of values or business practices.

The NCAA has encountered a similar issue in the past. Most recently, several basketball events scheduled to take place in facilities that offered wagering on sporting events were certified without regard to the locale of the venue. This issue could be addressed legislatively, inasmuch as NCAA legislation regarding gambling activities is very clear. The issue of corporate sponsorship of intercollegiate athletics events, however, has not been legislatively defined.

The subcommittee will continue to certify such events based on existing parameters. However, I encourage the NCAA Executive Committee to take a strong stand on this issue to persuade the membership to embark on a thoughtful review of these relationships. I feel that the Executive Committee, similar to recent issues involving the Confederate flag and institutional mascots, should address this issue by issuing a position statement to be distributed throughout the membership in an effort to bring this issue to the forefront and encourage member institutions to consider whether the corporate sponsorship of any event, including noncompetitive events, is disrespectful, demeaning or degrading to any individual subgroup.

I request the Executive Committee?s consideration and action on the statement below in order to convey the significance of this issue to the membership.

?A guiding principle of the NCAA is that it promotes an atmosphere of respect for and sensitivity to the dignity of every person and equal treatment for all individuals regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation. Member institutions should determine whether the sponsor of an event depicts any student-athlete subgroup in a disrespectful, demeaning or degrading manner before aligning with corporate entities and participating in competitive events, including the corporate sponsorship of such events. The Association strongly recommends that member institutions choose not to participate in such athletic events.?

MB:dks