Report asks if family of Leonard Fournette broke NCAA rules with website
A report says that the family of LSU star running back Leonard Fournette may have committed NCAA violations.
According to USA Today, Fournette’s parents and “a family associate” set up an online business before Fournette made his debut at LSU. The plan was to sell t-shirts and hats with the phrase “BUGA Nation,” which stands for “Being United Generates Attitude.” Fournette helped coin the phrase while he was still in high school.
The website launched Aug. 27, 2014 – the week Fournette made his collegiate debut with the Tigers – but was shut down “within 24 hours,” a few days before LSU played Wisconsin.
From USA Today:
The website launched the week of LSU’s 2014 season opener, but the business went no further — sales of T-shirts and hats were stopped within 24 hours after the NCAA learned of its existence, according to (Leonard’s mother) Lory Fournette.
“There’s certain rules that just can’t be broken,” she told USA TODAY Sports.
NCAA rules prohibit athletes or their family members from profiting off the athlete’s name, image or likeness. The Fournettes insisted their son’s name or image not be used on the website, and indeed the apparel that appears on a development version of the website only includes the “BUGA Nation” logo and LSU colors.
Both the NCAA and SEC told USA Today that neither had any correspondence with the Fournettes. Additionally, LSU told the paper that it has “no evidence of written communication with the NCAA” about the website.
However, The Advocate reported Thursday night that the LSU compliance office “consulted with the Fournette family about the website” before the family decided to shut it down.
A person who managed the website told USA Today that only a few items were purchased, but the orders were not filled.
The report says Paul Price, who Fournette’s mother said was one of the family’s “managers,” made payments of “about $10,000” to build the website and generate merchandise. Price initiated agreements with several businesses, which agreed to significant discounts (more than $20,000) because of the expectation of popularity with the gear associated with Fournette. However, after the site was shut down, one business owner said he has not been paid back.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!