Cross-country runner in hot water with NCAA for popular YouTube page

A cross-country runner with Texas A&M says he’s ineligible to compete for his university because of his YouTube channel he uses to promote his company and document his life as a distance runner.

Ryan Trahan, who owns a water bottle company named Neptune Bottle, is a freshman at the College Station, Texas-based university. Trahan, 17, has a YouTube channel with 14,000 subscribers and has a sizeable social media following where he posts about being a distance runner and a business owner.

The NCAA, the American university sports system, which features a number of high-profile Canadian distance runners, has specifics rules in this case. NCAA bylaw 12.4.4 rules that an athlete “may establish his or her own business, provided the student-athlete’s name, photograph, appearance or athletics reputation are not used to promote the business.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYrn9sCnAWI/

Bylaw 12.5.2 states that “a student-athlete will lose their ability to participate in NCAA sporting events if they are discovered to be receiving payment through commercial advertisement, promotion, or endorsement.”

According to Trahan, he has two options. One is to be “a runner who does not own a company” which allows him to post running-related videos. The other option is that he can be a business owner but “can’t let people know I run cross-country or track for Texas A&M.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXB1igtgXqd/

Trahan posted a video to his Youtube channel last Wednesday entitled “We need to talk… *bad news*.” In the video, Trahan says he “had to file a waiver so he can own and operate his business and compete for A&M and also re-request for his eligibility,” as reported by the Dallas Morning News. The NCAA responded on Thursday saying that the “organization hasn’t received a waiver from Texas A&M and is working with the university on the issue.”

Student-athletes can own and run their own business without violating NCAA rules if it’s not based on their athletics reputation or ability.

— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) September 21, 2017

Trahan’s eligibility for this weekend is in question though he competed for A&M in an earlier meet this month, according to Dallas Morning News. (In another instance, he raced unattached.)

UPDATE (Sept. 22, 1:55 p.m. EDT): A statement from Texas A&M reads: “Ryan Trahan, who participates on Texas A&M’s cross country and track team, brought this matter to our attention. He was concerned that his business, which he began, developed and promoted prior to enrolling in college, could be continued while he is enrolled at A&M. He also was inquiring about the possibility of continuing to promote the business in the manner to which he is accustomed while maintaining his competitive eligibility at A&M.

“Based on a review by the institution, the Southeastern Conference, and the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), it was determined that some aspects of the promotion of the business, as done prior to and subsequent to enrollment, are contrary to the rules adopted by the members of the NCAA.

“However, after a cooperative process involving Ryan, the school and the NCAA, the NCAA granted a waiver that will allow Ryan to continue the use of his name, picture and videos to promote his personal business, provided he does not use or reference his participation in intercollegiate athletics or his status as a student-athlete at Texas A&M. Further, Ryan may continue to operate personal social media accounts independent of his business social media account(s) documenting his personal activities which may include his participation as a collegiate runner.

“Ryan is eligible to participate at Texas A&M and continue to run his business.”