re: overseas trip for Michigan football team

[Ferrets are Cool]

I would appreciate if anyone could help me to understand how Harbaugh (or any coach) gets away with taking his athletes on an expense paid vacation overseas. The NCAA says the following:

NCAA rules prevent student-athletes from receiving money, transportation, or any extra benefit or expense allowance not authorized by the NCAA legislation. This includes benefits from an agent or any agreement to have an agent market the player’s athletic ability or reputation in that sport.

The NCAA Division I Manual defines an extra benefit as “any special arrangement by an institutional employee or a representative of the institution's athletics interests to provide a student-athlete or their relatives/friends a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.”

However, a general rule under the NCAA states that the receipt of a benefit by student-athletes is not a violation of NCAA rules if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution’s students.


These trips are not "generally available" to all students so why is the football team allowed this indulgence?

Any ideas?

[msongs]

1. unfortunately the football team has to be attached to a university. bummer for them nt