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The NCAA on Tuesday released a proposed revision of the third-party agent rule that would tighten restrictions on family members attempting to influence or benefit from student athletes.
The collegiate athletics governing body is seeking to expand the definition of third-party agents to include family members seeking financial gain.
The proposal comes after a scandal involving Heisman Trophy winner and top NFL draft pick Cam Newton gripped college football last fall. The NCAA ruled the star quarterback's father Cecil Newton had shopped his son to Mississippi State alumnus Kenny Rogers, who accused Newton of seeking $100,000 to $180,000 for his son's commitment.
Newton eventually decided to attend Auburn University, leading the Tigers to a National Championship in 2010.
According to a statement from the NCAA, the expanded definition would include individuals who seek "to obtain any type of financial gain or benefit from securing a prospect's enrollment at an institution or a student athlete's potential earnings as a professional athlete."
The revised definition also would target those who seek to "represent or attempt to represent a prospective or current student athlete in the marketing of his or her athletic ability or reputation for financial gain."
The NCAA's previous definition on third-party agents applied generally to individuals attempting to market athletes to a professional sports team.
"It's wrong for parents to sell the athletic services of their student athletes to a university, and we need to make sure that we have rules to stop that problem," NCAA president Mark Emmert said. "Student athletes are students. They're not professionals. And we're not going to pay them. And we're not going to allow other people to pay them to play."
The proposal will be reviewed by the NCAA's Legislative Council in January. It will either be approved at that time or sent back for further comment and reviewed again in April.
