SECTION 54.1-526. Definitions  

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Agency contract" means an agreement in which a student-athlete authorizes a person to negotiate or solicit on behalf of the student-athlete a professional sports services contract or endorsement contract.

"Athlete agent" means an individual, whether or not registered under this chapter, who (i) directly or indirectly recruits or solicits a student-athlete to enter into an agency contract or, for compensation, procures employment or offers, promises, attempts, or negotiates to obtain employment for a student-athlete as a professional athlete or member of a professional sports team or organization; (ii) for compensation or in anticipation of compensation related to a student-athlete's participation in athletics (a) serves the student-athlete in an advisory capacity on a matter related to finances, business pursuits, or career management decisions, unless the individual is an employee of an educational institution acting exclusively as an employee of the institution for the benefit of the institution, or (b) manages the business affairs of the student-athlete by providing assistance with bills, payments, contracts, or taxes; or (iii) in anticipation of representing a student-athlete for a purpose related to the student-athlete's participation in athletics (a) gives consideration to the student-athlete or another person, (b) serves the student-athlete in an advisory capacity on a matter related to finances, business pursuits, or career management decisions, or (c) manages the business affairs of the student-athlete by providing assistance with bills, payments, contracts, or taxes. "Athlete agent" does not include an individual who (a) acts solely on behalf of a professional sports team or organization or (b) is a licensed, registered, or certified professional and offers or provides services to a student-athlete customarily provided by members of the profession, unless the individual (1) also recruits or solicits the student-athlete to enter into an agency contract, (2) also, for compensation, procures employment or offers, promises, attempts, or negotiates to obtain employment for the student-athlete as a professional athlete or member of a professional sports team or organization, or (3) receives consideration for providing the services calculated using a different method than for an individual who is not a student-athlete.

"Athletic director" means the individual responsible for administering the overall athletic program of an educational institution or, if an educational institution has separately administered athletic programs for male students and female students, the athletic program for males or the athletic program for females, as appropriate.

"Director" means the Director of the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.

"Educational institution" means a public or private (i) elementary school, (ii) secondary school, (iii) technical or vocational school, (iv) community college, or (v) institution of higher education.

"Endorsement contract" means an agreement under which a student-athlete is employed or receives consideration to use on behalf of the other party any value that the student-athlete may have because of publicity, reputation, following, or fame obtained because of athletic ability or performance.

"Enrolled" or "enrolls" means registered for courses and attending athletic practice or class.

"Intercollegiate sport" means a sport played at the collegiate level for which eligibility requirements for participation by a student-athlete are established by a national association that promotes or regulates collegiate athletics.

"Interscholastic sport" means a sport played between educational institutions that are not community colleges or institutions of higher education.

"Licensed, registered, or certified professional" means an individual, other than an athlete agent, who is licensed, registered, or certified as an attorney, dealer in securities, financial planner, insurance agent, real estate broker or sales agent, tax consultant, accountant, or member of a profession by the Commonwealth or a nationally recognized organization that licenses, registers, or certifies members of the profession on the basis of experience, education, or testing.

"Person" means an individual, estate, business or nonprofit entity, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality or other legal entity.

"Professional sports services contract" means an agreement under which an individual is employed as a professional athlete or agrees to render services as a player on a professional sports team or with a professional sports organization.

"Record" means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.

"Recruit or solicit" means an attempt to influence the choice of an athlete agent by a student-athlete or, if the student-athlete is a minor, a parent or guardian of the student-athlete. "Recruit or solicit" does not include giving advice on the selection of a particular agent in a family, coaching, or social situation unless the individual giving the advice does so because of the receipt or anticipated receipt of an economic benefit, directly or indirectly, from the agent.

"Registration" means registration as an athlete agent.

"Sign" means, with present intent to authenticate or adopt a record, (i) to execute or adopt a tangible symbol or (ii) to attach to or logically associate with the record an electronic symbol, sound, or process.

"State" means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

"Student-athlete" means an individual who is eligible to attend an educational institution and engages in, is eligible to engage in, or may be eligible in the future to engage in any interscholastic or intercollegiate sport. "Student-athlete" does not include, for a particular interscholastic or intercollegiate sport, an individual permanently ineligible to participate in that sport.

2020, c. 481 , § 54.1-519.