The "Street Agent" often appears as a good guy or friend but usually behind closed doors is negotiating fees and trying to manipulate the outcome of a Prospective Student Athletes decision in regards to college choice. This practice of offering fees to these people needs to be banned 100% by the NCAA and State High School Associations or at least heavily monitored just like any other form of Agency!

OK so there is a lot of ” scuttle butt” that the NCAA may or may not be in a position to fine or impose much in the way of penalties on the Oregon Ducks.   The heart of that argument is that the NCAA allows colleges to pay for recruiting services.  They are supposed to be paying for legitimate services and  not for illegitimate services.

Will Lyles was not paid for anything legitimate.  That much is clear.  And he surely peddles influence and helped get outcomes that were favorable for the Ducks.  So we know the Ducks are not getting off scott-free.  But this is a far cry from what USC did where they paid money directly to Reggie Bush’s family in exchange for his attendance at the University.

Universities and schools we have spoken too are very wary of these sort of folks all together now a days.  And in the period where there is a lack of interest in the schools paying for the Street Agent types a new business model is arising.

Instead of being paid by the schools most recruiting services are being paid handsomely by the parents now.  In exchange for the promise that the recruiting service will wield their power to get the kid an offer the parents pay.

Now the issues change a bit.  Where there is room for abuse is when the Recruiting Service is given special access and favorable treatment by the University or College in exchange for getting the kids onto the campus.

By empowering these Power Brokers with privileged use of the facilities or all access passes to the campus and football facilities they raise the stock of such a person.  The cycle of influence is in tact and maybe even more so as the parents are now paying and in many ways that makes it worse.

Kids need to be able to get help and recruiting advice.  Finding a way that they can get good help is an important and worthy goal.  This is why we believe the only way to do this right is to require a licensing component in each State run by the State in which any person seeking to act as an agent be held to the same standards as any other form of agency at the State level.  Examples would be Law, Accounting, Insurance, banking, Real Estate, and Investments.

We believe that any person or company wishing to charge a fee to anyone for providing representation and or agency on the matters of Collegiate placement and athletics should be strictly bound by a licensing group.

In Oregon boxing promoters are licensed and that sort of thing is monitored.  Requirements for Sports Agents can be handled in a similar manner and should include:

• Criminal Background Checks and Clearance Once a Year
• Educational Requirements including significant clock hours and a Test of NCAA / NAIA Rules prior to being issued a license.
• A Fiduciary Account and proper records maintained on all clients with accounting and billings required for services rendered.
• A log of contact made and communications transmitted should be kept for all clients.
• A Performance Bond and Errors and Omissions Insurance should be required to insure all clients are protected from Fraud, Theft, and Rules Violations.
• Full disclosure of all Pricing and Fee Schedules for the recruiting business should be clearly listed on all websites and publications along with a complete list of all services provided for the fee charged.
• A complete Bio and Resume Notarized and signed by the agent to allow fact checking of all Statements made.

If we had these rules in place and SEVERE PENALTIES for any person conducting business out side of these requirements and for any school or university hiring a service or agent not licensed in the State we would be in great shape.

This sort of service is needed; if done right.  If someone can do provide these things there is little chance of undue influence or illegal or illegitimate  events happening.  The cost would be too great and the risk too high.

Can you see any reason these things are not reasonable?  After all we are talking about someone representing a minor here and also helping them make one of the biggest decisions of their life.    And the costs of defending the Ducks against these claims of wrongdoing in the Will Lyles case is going to run into the hundreds of thousands most likely.  And that is such an incredible waste!