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Requests - Memorabilia | Appearances

Requests - Memorabilia | Appearances

NIU Athletics is proud to be able to help fans, alumni, and community organizations throughout the area with events through Memorabilia Requests, Victor E. Huskie Mascot appearances and Student-Athlete Community Service appearances. Due to scheduling and the high demand of these requests, all forms must be completely filled out and submitted at least two weeks prior to the event. We cannot guarantee that every request will be filled.
 
Thank you for choosing NIU Athletics to be a part of your next event! 

VICTOR E. HUSKIE MASCOT APPEARANCE REQUESTS

Score big at your next event by inviting Victor E. Huskie. Request the NIU Huskies mascot by completing the appearance request form below. Please carefully review the policies, fees and procedures prior to submitting your request. Due to scheduling and the high demand of these requests, all forms must be completely filled out and submitted at least two weeks prior to the event. Click the link below for specific requirements and information regarding Victor E. Huskie Mascot Appearances, including pricing, health and safety and more. 

NOTE: All forms should be as detailed as possible to make your mascot request, but does not guarantee that every request will be filled. There is a fee associated with Victor E. request. 

REQUEST: Victor E. Huskie Mascot Appearance Request Form
 
For more information, please contact sportsmarketing@niu.edu

ATHLETICS MEMORABILIA DONATION REQUESTS

  • All donation requests must be submitted through our fillable PDF form (link below) and must be received at least one month prior to the date the item is needed.
  • If possible, donation requests should include the organization's 501(c)(3) number.
  • Donation requests must be accompanied by documentation of the event, such as an event flyer, and a clear description of the event.
  • Please clearly indicate in the "Organization's Event Details", in the "Description" box, how the proceeds from NIU's donated item will be used. Please keep in mind proceeds from these items may not benefit a high school-aged student (9th-12th grade) or a high school athletic program.

Click HERE (PDF) to submit a donation request!

Please do not call or email the athletics offices to inquire about your request. If you have any questions regarding the status of your request, please email athleticrequests@niu.edu

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE APPEARANCE REQUESTS

Several NCAA regulations apply to community service requests involving student-athletes, and recent NCAA legislation will potentially alter this process.  The current guidelines from both NIU and the NCAA are detailed below.  Please read the guidelines carefully (as they are subject to change) and provide all other information prior to making your request. 

  • All student-athlete or coach appearance requests, including requests for community service, must be submitted through niuhuskies.com and must be received at least two weeks prior to the date of the event.
  • Appearance requests must be accompanied by documentation of the event, such as an event flyer, and a clear description of the event.
  • We reserve the right to cancel an appearance due to illness, personal emergency, schedule conflicts, etc.
Please be aware that because of schedule conflicts, and logistical challenges, some appearance or student-athlete community service requests may not be able to be fulfilled.

REQUEST: Student-Athlete Appearance Request Form (PDF)

Please do not call or email the athletics offices to inquire about your request. If you have any questions regarding the status of your request, please email athleticrequests@niu.edu

NCAA GUIDELINES FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE APPEARANCES 

NCAA Bylaw 12.5.1.1 Institutional, Charitable, Education or Nonprofit Promotions

A member institution or recognized entity thereof (e.g., fraternity, sorority or student government organization), a member conference or a non-institutional charitable, educational or nonprofit agency may use a student-athlete's name, picture or appearance to support its charitable or educational activities or to support activities considered incidental to the student-athlete's participation in intercollegiate athletics, provided the following conditions are met:

  • The student-athlete receives written approval to participate from the director of athletics (or his or her designee who may not be a coaching staff member), subject to the limitations on participants in such activities as set forth in Bylaw 17;
  • The specific activity or project in which the student-athlete participates does not involve co-sponsorship, advertisement or promotion by a commercial agency other than through the reproduction of the sponsoring company's officially registered regular trademark or logo on printed materials such as pictures, posters or calendars. The company's emblem, name, address, telephone number and website address may be included with the trademark or logo. Personal names, messages and slogans (other than an officially registered trademark) are prohibited;
  • The name or picture of a student-athlete with remaining eligibility may not appear on an institution's printed promotional item (e.g., poster, calendar) that includes a reproduction of a product with which a commercial entity is associated if the commercial entity's officially registered regular trademark or logo also appears on the item;
  • The student-athlete does not miss class;
  • All moneys derived from the activity or project go directly to the member institution, member conference or the charitable, educational or nonprofit agency;
  • The student-athlete may accept actual and necessary expenses from the member institution, member conference or the charitable, educational or nonprofit agency related to participation in such activity;
  • The student-athlete's name, picture or appearance is not used to promote the commercial ventures of any nonprofit agency;
  • Any commercial items with names, likenesses or pictures of multiple student-athletes (other than highlight films or media guides per Bylaw 12.5.1.7)may be sold only at the member institution at which the student-athletes are enrolled, the institution's conference, institutionally controlled (owned and operated) outlets or outlets controlled by the charitable, educational or nonprofit organization (e.g., location of the charitable or educational organization, site of charitable event during the event). Items that include an individual student-athlete's name, picture or likeness (e.g., name on jersey, name or likeness on a bobble-head doll), other than informational items (e.g., media guide, schedule cards, institutional publications), may not be sold; and
  • The student-athlete and an authorized representative of the charitable, educational or nonprofit agency sign a release statement ensuring that the student-athlete's name, image or appearance is used in a manner consistent with the requirements of this section.

NCAA Bylaw 12.5.1.1.2 Promotions Involving Commercial Locations/Sponsors

A member institution, a member conference or a charitable, educational or nonprofit organization may use the appearance, name or picture of an enrolled student-athlete to generally promote its fundraising activities at the location of a commercial establishment, provided the commercial establishment is not a co-sponsor of the event and the student-athlete does not promote the sale of a commercial product in conjunction with the fundraising activity.
A commercial establishment would become a co-sponsor if the commercial establishment either advertises the presence of the student-athlete at the commercial location or is involved directly or indirectly in promoting the activity.

NCAA Bylaw 13.1.8.1 Banquets or Meetings at a Prospective Student-Athlete's Educational Institution

Sports Other Than Football or Basketball. In sports other than football and basketball, a coach may speak at a meeting or banquet (except for during dead periods) at a prospective student-athlete's educational institution outside of a contact period or may speak at such a meeting or banquet during a contact period without using one of the institution's permissible contacts or evaluations, provided:

  • The meeting or banquet is initiated and conducted by the educational institution;
  • The coach does not make a recruiting presentation in conjunction with the appearance;
  • The coach does not have any direct contact with any prospective student-athlete (or a prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardians) in attendance; and
  • The coach does not engage in any evaluation activities.

Men's/ Women's Basketball and Football
For Mens and Womens basketball and football a coach who speaks at a meeting or banquet at a prospective student-athlete’s educational institution where prospective student-athletes are in attendance during a contact, evaluation or recruiting period uses the institution’s once-per-week visit to a prospective student-athlete’s educational institution.

NCAA Bylaw 13.1.8.2 Noncoaching Staff Members with Sport-Specific Responsibilites 

A noncoaching staff member with sport-specific responsibilities may not speak at or attend a banquet or meeting at a prospective student-athlete’s educational institution at any time, regardless of whether prospective student-athletes are in attendance. During a contact, evaluation, recruiting or quiet period, a noncoaching staff member with sport-specific responsibilities may speak at or attend a banquet or meeting at a location other than a prospective student-athlete's educational institution where prospective student-athletes are in attendance, provided: 

  • The event is initiated and conducted by an entity outside the staff member's institution;
  • The individual does not make a recruiting presentation in conjunction with the appearance;
  • The individual does not have direct contact with a prospective student-athlete (or a prospective student-athlete's family members) in attendance; and
  • The individual does not engage in evaluation activities.

NCAA Bylaw 13.1.8.3 During a Dead Period or Recruiting Shutdown

During a dead period or recruiting shutdown, a coach or noncoaching staff member with sport-specific responsibilities may not attend or speak at a meeting or banquet held at a prospective student-athlete’s educational institution, regardless of whether prospective student-athletes are in attendance, and may not speak at a meeting or banquet at another location where prospective student-athletes are in attendance. A coach or noncoaching staff member with sport-specific responsibilities may attend a meeting or banquet at a location other than a prospective student-athlete’s educational institution where prospective student-athletes are in attendance, provided:

  • The event is open to the general public;
  • The event is initiated and conducted by an entity outside the coach or staff member's institution; and
  • The individual does not evaluate, make a recruiting presentation or have direct contact with any prospective student-athlete (or a prospective student-athlete's family members) in attendance.

NCAA Bylaw 13.15.1 Prohibited Expenses

An institution or a representative of its athletics interests shall not offer, provide or arrange financial assistance, directly or indirectly, to pay (in whole or in part) the costs of the prospective student-athlete's educational or other expenses for any period prior to his or her enrollment or so the prospective student-athlete can obtain a postgraduate education.

NCAA Bylaw 13.15.1.2 Fundraising for High School Athletics Program

An institution may not provide funding, directly or through paid advertisements for more than the going rate, to benefit a high school athletics program.