Two years ago, the NCAA contemplated the removal of the rule prohibiting in-person scouting of future opponents, citing its “minimal competitive advantage.” Despite a November 2021 proposal seeking to modernize the rule being voted down, it sheds light on the NCAA’s stance on in-person scouting, coinciding with the ongoing investigation into Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing.
The proposal, presented by an NCAA Division I Legislative Committee subcommittee, aimed to update outdated rules that were deemed irrelevant for the needs of 21st-century student-athletes. Michigan referenced this proposal in a letter to the Big Ten on Nov. 4, challenging the jurisdiction of Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti in penalizing the program.
Notably, only 12 out of 32 Division I conferences supported the proposal, with the Big Ten among those voting against it. The Big East was the sole power conference in favor.
The NCAA Council, overseeing daily decisions in Division I, was targeted by the proposal to amend Bylaw 11.6. This bylaw, in place since 1994 and central to the Michigan investigation, prohibits off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents. Initially implemented for cost-saving reasons, the proposed amendment relied on the widespread availability of game film for scouting.
The proposal faced opposition from several conferences, emphasizing that the ability to discern opponents’ signs from game film, without in-person scouting, is permissible under NCAA rules. Michigan’s investigation revolves around an alleged elaborate scouting scheme to steal signs.
In the weighted voting procedure, favoring power conferences, the final count was 48-14 against the proposal, with less than a quarter of voters supporting the bylaw amendment.
One rationale for the proposal highlighted that the “minimal competitive advantage” was outweighed by the monitoring and enforcement challenges posed by adhering to the existing bylaw.
NCAA enforcement is actively probing allegations that former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions engaged in improper scouting of future opponents over “multiple years.” The proposal was officially voted down on Dec. 15, 2021, leaving the timeline of Michigan’s alleged improper scouting practices unclear. Stalions resigned on Nov. 3, with sources suggesting he would have been terminated had he not resigned.