1. NCAA Uniform Enforcement Issue
Presented by Ira Thor (New Jersey City)
CoSIDA Board of Directors & D3SIDA First Vice President
Winter,

2. What is the issue?
In recent years, a growing trend has developed across collegiate athletics where unreadable game uniforms are being worn in a number of sports.

3. What is the issue?
NCAA guidelines have existed in each sport rulebook but are often being ignored by coaches and officials.
The issue has never been made a point of emphasis.

4. Why is this an issue?
Uniform numbers are the only acceptable means of identifying players in sports.

5. Why is this an issue?
Not being able to identify players on a field or court impacts all parties associated with a contest.

6. Who is Impacted on Game Day?
Broadcasters
Public Address Announcers
Sports Information Directors
Statisticians
Photographers
Fans

7. Who is Impacted Long Term?
Student-Athletes
Not being able to identify uniform numbers will and has led to errors in player participation, which can affect eligibility, specifically with redshirts and injured players. It also affects the accuracy of their statistics which can impact awards.

8. Who is Impacted Long Term?
The NCAA
Not being able to identify uniform numbers has a direct influence on the accuracy and validity of statistics. This impacts national statistical rankings and record books both short and long term.

9. Who is Impacted Long Term?
The Outcome of a Game
What happens when a referee goes to the replay monitor for an important play and cannot read the uniforms?
We have already heard examples of this in Division II.

10. Consider this...
If you cannot read a uniform up close from field or press row level, sometimes even with a zoom camera lens, how will it be seen on television, video streams, from the press box or stands?

11. Consider this...
Many uniforms do not have contrast between the jersey and numbers, numbers are indistinguishable and trim is often missing.

12. Consider this...
Further exacerbating the issue are jerseys with vertical, horizontal or perpendicular designs or logos intersecting with numbers, making them further indistinguishable.

13. Consider this...
Add perspiration and in some cases direct sunlight to the equation and jerseys that were nearly unreadable before becoming downright impossible to determine.

14. Consider this...
Meanwhile, sometimes numbers are smaller than the specified rule or missing entirely.

15. The media is taking notice...
Several high-profile announcers have spoken out on national broadcasts on the issue, both on ESPN and FOX. For example, Tim Brando criticized Arizona’s unreadable numbers during a broadcast this Fall.
It has been addressed in articles as recently as February, 2015.

16. Why is this happening more and more?
Quite simply, in the age of digital, high-definition video, we think this may be gamesmanship on behalf of some coaches to prevent their teams from being scouted on video. It’s an attempt to gain an edge.

17. Why is this happening more and more?
No coach wants to be ‘a rat’ or known as the guy turning in other schools.
But coaches have outright admitted to some SIDs this is being done ‘so other teams couldn’t scout us.’

18. It’s On The Books...
Baseball:
Page 20: Uniforms
SECTION 14. The uniforms of all participating players and coaches of the team shall be of the same color and style. It is required that each team have two sets of uniform jerseys of contrasting colors. It is the responsibility of the visiting team to wear a contrasting uniform color to the jersey worn by the home team. It is recommended that both teams wear the full pregame or regular-game uniforms when entering the playing field.
a. All uniforms must include numbers on the back of the shirt. These numbers shall be at least 6 inches in height

19. It’s On The Books...
Basketball:
Page 29: Rule 1 / Court and Equipment/Article 7
4. The number shall be at least 6 inches high on the back and at least 4 inches high on the front and not less than 1 inch wide.
6. The number shall be one single solid color that contrasts the neutral zone and may be bordered by no more than a ½-inch border of any color(s).

20. It’s On The Books...
Football:
Page 4: Jersey Design, Color and Numerals—ARTICLE 5
I. The home team is wearing red jerseys with orange numerals. In the judgment of the officials, the numerals and the body of the jersey do not contrast enough to make the numbers readily visible. The referee asks the home team head coach to change to a legal jersey. The head coach tells the referee that his team will not change into different jerseys. The referee informs the head coach that his team will be charged a timeout at the beginning of each quarter that the illegal jerseys are worn.
RULING: After the ball is marked ready for play for the opening kickoff, the referee charges the home team with a timeout for illegal equipment. For each quarter that they continue to wear the jerseys, the team is charged with a timeout after the ball is declared ready for play and before the ball is put in play for the first play of that quarter.

21. It’s On The Books...
Football:
Page FR-23: C. Numerals
1. The jersey must have clearly visible, permanent Arabic numerals measuring at least 8 and 10 inches in height front and back, respectively. The number must be of a color that itself is clearly in distinct contrast with the color of the jersey, irrespective of any border around the number.
2. Teams wearing jerseys/numerals that do not conform to this rule will be asked to change into legal jerseys before the game and before the start of each quarter until the jerseys are changed. Officials shall charge a team timeout at the start of each quarter the illegal jerseys are worn. (A. R I)
3. All players of a team shall have the same color and style numbers front and back. The individual bars must be approximately 1-1/2 inches wide. Numbers on any part of the uniform shall correspond with the mandatory front and back jersey numbers.

22. It’s On The Books...
Lacrosse (Women’s):
Page 17: Uniform Shirts and Kilts/Shorts; Section 12/13
SECTION 12. All team members shall be dressed uniformly with the exception of the goalkeeper, whose colors must be of the same corresponding colors as her teammates. Her top (shirt) must be of the same color as her team; the bottom must be in agreement with the team’s predominant color or be black or gray.
SECTION 13. All players must wear numbers, differing from others on the team, on the front and back of the uniform shirt. Numbers on the back must be a minimum of 8 inches tall; numbers on the front must be a minimum of 6 inches tall and must be centered at chest level. If a number appears elsewhere on a player’s uniform (such as on the kilt, shorts, pants or on the sleeves of the shirt), it must match the number on the player’s shirt. Numbers must be in a color clearly contrasting to that of the top (i.e., dark shirts must have light numbers and light shirts must have dark numbers), or be clearly outlined in a contrasting color if the top and the number are a similar color. Non-solid colored shirts must have the numbers superimposed on a solid color block background or outlined with a contrasting color.

23. It’s On The Books...
Lacrosse (Women’s):
Page 17: Uniform Shirts and Kilts/Shorts; Section 12/13
A.R Before the game begins, the officials discover that a team has illegal uniforms that cannot be corrected prior to the beginning of the game. RULING: A minor foul is called and the game will begin with a free position for the opponent at the center line. If both teams are illegally dressed the game will begin with a throw at the center. Player positioning for the draw will apply.

24. It’s On The Books...
Soccer:
Page 22: 4.3 Numbers Mandatory
Numerals at least 8 inches in height that are easily distinguishable from the predominant background color(s) and pattern shall be worn on the back of each player’s (including goalkeeper’s) jersey. Numerals at least 4 inches in height that are easily distinguishable from the predominant background color(s) and pattern shall be worn on the front of each player’s (including goalkeeper’s) jersey. Numerals are required on the front and back of the jersey, and no two teammates may wear the same number. Note: Numbers on shorts are optional.

25. It’s On The Books...
Softball:
Page 41: Rule Insignias and Numbers.
Commemorative or any other special insignia/patches may be worn on the uniform as long as all teammates’ uniforms are identical and embedded numbers are no larger than 1 inch. All uniform jerseys must have a whole number between 0 and 99 inclusive on the back. The number(s) or its outline shall be of a contrasting color and shall be at least 6 inches high. It is recommended that jerseys have 3- to 4-inch high numbers of a contrasting color on the front of the jersey. Players on the same team shall not wear the same number.

26. It’s On The Books...
Volleyball:
Page 27: Uniform Numbers
Players’ jerseys must be marked with numbers not less than 10 centimeters (4 inches) in height on the chest and not less than 15 centimeters (6 inches) in height on the back. The stripe forming the numbers must be at least 2 centimeters (3/4 inch) wide at the narrowest point. Uniform jerseys worn by teammates must display numbers of the same color and size.
The number on the front of each jersey must be the same as the number on the back of the jersey.
If numbers are worn on the shorts, the number on the shorts must be the same as the number on the jersey.

27. It’s On The Books...
Volleyball:
Page 27: Uniform Numbers
Numbers must be solid-colored. A “shadow” trim not to exceed centimeters (½ inch) in width is allowable. Either the body of the number or the surrounding trim must be a color that is in sharp contrast to the jersey color. Beginning with the 2011 season, if trim is used, it must completely surround the number.
Numbers must be located on the jersey in a position where they are clearly visible. Specifically:
On the back of the uniform, the number must be centered.
On the front of the uniform, the number must be either:
Centered on the upper body (upper chest, center chest or high stomach area); or

28. It’s On The Books...
Volleyball:
Page 27: Uniform Numbers
Placed on the upper right- or left-hand shoulder area. The top of the number must be no more than 12.5 centimeters (5 inches) down from the shoulder seam.
Numbers must be clearly visible at all times during the match. Rolling or taping the jersey sleeves in such a way that the number is not clearly visible is prohibited.
Shirts may be numbered from 0 through 99 inclusively. Duplicate numbers may not be worn.
The number may not be any part of a design on the jersey.

29. Progress...
Men’s Lacrosse:
Page 16: Section 21
The following rule change has been adopted in the 2015 NCAA men’s lacrosse rulebook:
b. Jerseys. The jerseys shall have numbers that are at least 10 inches high and centered on the front. Jersey numbers of at least 12 inches in height also must be centered on the back. The home team shall wear white or light-colored jerseys; however, this rule may be waived if both coaches agree to do so before the game. When jersey colors are not sufficiently contrasting, the home team shall change its jerseys. By the 2016 season, all uniform numbers must clearly contrast the color of the uniform. A white or light-colored uniform must have dark-colored numbers; a dark-colored uniform must have light-colored numbers.

30. Progress...
Ice Hockey:
Page 18: Section 21
The following major rule change has been adopted in the ice hockey rulebook:
Rule 9 - Uniforms 9.1 Jerseys - Each player and each goalkeeper listed in the lineup of each team shall wear an individual identifying number at least 10 inches high on the back of the jersey and at least 4 inches high on the front or on both sleeves. The visiting team shall wear dark-colored jerseys and stockings; the home team shall wear light-colored jerseys and stockings. Uniform numbers must be a light colored number on dark jerseys and a dark colored number on light jerseys. All players of each team shall dress uniformly in that day’s game jersey. Light-colored jerseys (e.g., white, gold, yellow or light blue) may be worn during the regular season by the visiting team only when the teams have agreed before the game. If the teams are unable to agree, the visiting team will wear dark-colored jerseys. The number of the jersey shall contrast the overall jersey color.

31. Uniform Galleries...
During the academic year, we have collected examples of potentially illegal uniforms.
Baseball:
Men’s Basketball:
Women’s Basketball:
Field Hockey:
Football:
Lacrosse:
Men’s Soccer:
Women’s Soccer:
Softball:
Volleyball:
Even High Schools!: