NCAA Division I colleges and universities have adopted new legislation that will limit media guides to 208 pages. The reduction is intended to cut costs and take advantage of advanced technology that will allow unlimited supplemental information to be posted on institution’s Web sites.
Institutions can place information from their Web sites in a pocket in the inside cover of the media guides and provide that for the media. The black-and-white supplements can be stapled or bound with a binder clip but cannot resemble a second publication, as this would constitute a violation of the new legislation.
The supplements will be printed without color in order to reduce costs and impress that information can be efficiently disseminated through the Internet. Prospects can receive the media guide, but it must be without the supplemental information.
Bylaw 13.4.1.1 states that “an institution may produce either a recruiting brochure or media guide (but not both) and provide the publication to a prospect. The publication may have only one color of printing inside the cover and may not exceed 8 ½ by 11 inches inside and 208 pages in length.”
Schools can produce only one media guide, not separate ones for prospects and members of the media.
"It's become a race to see how many pages you can have and who can have the glossiest guide,” said Wake Forest University Athletic Director Ron Wellman, chair of the Division I Management Council. “If people really want the information, it is easily obtainable online. We are not suggesting that the information should not be available -- simply that it not be printed and sent to recruits.”
Schools can produce one media guide per year per sport, but can continue to produce media publications that are not designed for recruiting and not provided to prospects, such as postseason guides.
Media Guides Fact Sheet
· Media guides are limited to 208 pages.
· The publication may have one color of printing inside the cover.
· Schools can produce one media guide – not separate ones for media and prospects.
· SIDs can place unlimited supplemental information on institutional Web sites.
· The information can be printed and placed in the inside cover of the guide and given to members of the media.
· The supplements cannot be bound in any way that might suggest they might be a second publication.
· The supplements must be in black-and-white. They will be printed without color in order to reduce costs and reinforce the efficiency of disseminating information through the Internet.
· Institutions can continue to produce postseason guides, but they cannot be provided to prospects.