From the Letter:
E. The NCAA Provides Its Evidentiary Conclusions to the University and the Conference About the Scheme
On November 2, a senior Conference staff member and I participated in a call with NCAA President Baker, other senior NCAA staff members, and the University’s Athletic Director, General Counsel, and outside counsel. During that call, the NCAA informed the Conference and the University that, based on its investigation and the evidence it had collected, the NCAA “knew and could prove” the following:
• the staff member participated in and coordinated a vast off campus, in-person advance scouting scheme involving a network of individuals;
• he purchased and forwarded tickets for games involving future University football opponents, and the tickets were for seats strategically located for stealing the future opponents’ signs;
• he and others acting at his direction video recorded signs used by future University opponents while attending the opponents’ games in person; 6
• information, including videos of future opponents’ signs, was delivered back to the staff member by those who had attended the games and taken the videos at his direction; and
• during the time in question, including through the University’s seventh game of the 2023 season, the staff member was present on the University’s sidelines, dressed similarly to University coaches, in close proximity to University coaches, and he communicated directly with such coaches.
In light of this information, the NCAA informed the University and me that the existence of the impermissible scheme by this University football staff member was “uncontroverted.” The NCAA indicated that it was continuing its investigation to determine, among other things, who else knew about and/or was involved in the scheme.
