Story Links
The Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees proposed a legislative package on Friday to deregulate preseason exhibitions, foreign tours, coaching limitations and summer access hours.
All proposed legislation must be approved by the Division I Cabinet before becoming official. The Cabinet is scheduled to discuss the proposals in April.
The preseason exhibition proposal would allow teams to compete in three preseason practice scrimmages and/or exhibition games against four-year schools for the 2026-27 academic year.
The rationale for the proposal includes assisting student-athlete preparation for regular-season competition.
Both committees believe the proposal provides opportunities to generate exposure for college basketball.
Currently, teams are permitted to play two preseason practice scrimmages and/or exhibition games against four-year schools.
Both oversight committees also recommended legislation to allow teams to take one foreign tour each year.
If approved, this would eliminate the restriction that schools could only conduct a foreign tour once every four years.
The committees want to give schools the flexibility to schedule foreign tours and believe it can also enhance the student-athlete experience.
Both oversight committees also proposed making summer access hours more flexible by eliminating the restriction that limits skill-related instruction to four of the eight hours allowed per week.
If passed, it would give coaches the discretion to decide how many of the eight hours they use for skill instruction and weightlifting each week in the summer.
Both oversight committees proposed allowing any team staff member to provide technical and tactical instruction to the student-athletes.
Additionally, a school could designate up to six staff members who may contact or evaluate prospective student-athletes off campus, with a limit of four staffers per day. The head coach is required to be designated as one of the six off-campus recruiters.
If approved, this legislation would be effective immediately for the summer of 2026.
Currently, only the six countable coaches are allowed to recruit off campus.
Committee members believe it should be up to each school to determine which staff members can provide instruction to student-athletes during practice/competition.
The Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee proposed allowing prospects to take unofficial visits starting with their freshman year of high school. This aligns men’s basketball with the women’s recruiting rule in this area.
Currently, prospects could not make unofficial visits until Aug. 1 of their sophomore year of high school.
