Knowing what an athlete is allowed to do and still be considered an amateur athlete will help protect the student’s eligibility status within the NAIA. For information on how athletes who have lost their amateurism status, click here for the amateurism reinstatement process.
Professional Teams
A student may tryout during a professional camp, as long as the student does not enter into any type of agreement with the team, does not receive financial payment, and does not participate against another professional team. The team hosting the camp may pay for the student’s lodging and meals during the duration of the camp only.
A student on a non-professional team can compete against a professional team or player, as long as it is under the sponsorship or approval of the NAIA National Office or the governing body of that sport. To request approval from the NAIA National Office, please click here. The competition may occur during the academic school year or summer; if it occurs during the academic school year, the competition must be counted towards the NAIA institution’s frequency of play limits and 24-week season.
Receiving Compensation
A student may not receive expense reimbursement beyond the actual cost of travel, meals, and lodging. The student-athlete may only receive reimbursement for the travel expenses from the student’s home city to the event and back. The student cannot travel anywhere else and receive reimbursement by the team/league. All expenses towards the student’s participation must be properly documented and itemized and be available on request. If other team members receive money in excess of NAIA amateur limits, the student in question would not be affected.
A student may receive compensation for working for summer camps, recreation programs, municipal centers and private clubs, but the student must be paid a reasonable wage and only paid for the time the student has worked. Students may not receive compensation for promoting or endorsing a product or commercial venture.
A student may receive compensation for coaching an amateur, recreational or interscholastic level team as long as their wage is reasonable. If a student coaches at the intercollegiate level, the student’s wages must be sent directly to that student’s institution per Article II, Section B, and be distributed as athletic aid.
A student may receive compensation for the use of their name or picture to promote a commercial product or enterprise as long as there is no reference to the student’s intercollegiate athletic participation, institution’s logo, name, or marks. Finally, the student must receive the same wage amount as anybody else being used for this type of promotion.
