By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Three members of the Arkansas men’s basketball team may have violated NCAA rules by appearing in a Northwest Arkansas magazine wearing clothing from local retailers.
Guards Rotnei Clarke, Courtney Fortson and Jeff Peterson — along with men’s basketball coach John Pelphrey — are featured in a nine-page spread inside the December issue of “Celebrate Arkansas.”
Clarke also is on the cover of the magazine with the headline, “Downtown Style: 3-point Sensation Rotnei Clarke Joins Razorback Teammates and Coach Pel in Hot Full-Court Fashion.”
The magazine labels the basketball spread as its “cover story” and includes items such as a question-and-answer session with all four subjects. But the spread also includes photos and captions with several mentions of clothing stores, which could be deemed as advertisements.
An example: The first page features a photo of all three athletes wearing suits on the Bud Walton Arena court. The caption names the local retailer where the “players’ looks” are available.
In all, seven photos — each taken by a representative of StudioElevation.com — include captions stating which local retailer the “players’ looks” can be found.
According to the NCAA rulebook, which can be found at NCAA.com, bylaw 12.5.2 details the “nonpermissible” use of a student-athlete in advertising. Rule 12.5.2.1 says that an athlete is not eligible for participation if the individual “accepts any remuneration or permits the use of his or her name or picture to advertise, recommend or promote directly the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind.”
It’s not clear if Arkansas’ athletes knew they were taking part in a photo shoot that would advertise where the clothes are found. It also was not clear who granted permission for the photo shoot or how the magazine pitched its cover story.
However, it has garnered Arkansas’ attention.
“We are aware of the magazine article, reviewed the matter and have forwarded the review to the (Southeastern Conference),” Arkansas spokesperson Kevin Trainor said Monday night.
Trainor would not say whether the school’s self report determined a violation had occurred, knowingly or not. A Freedom of Information request asking for documents forwarded to the SEC was not immediately answered Monday night.
In addition, a phone message left for an NCAA spokesperson seeking further explanation was not returned. Neither was a phone message left on the magazine editor’s work voice mail Monday night.
Clarke is the only one of the three basketball players currently on the court. Fortson has missed the first nine games this season while serving an indefinite suspension. Peterson is redshirting the 2009-10 season after transferring from Iowa.
