Report: NCAA investigating Johnny Manziel for accepting money for autographs
The NCAA is investigating Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel to see if he received money for signing autographs, according to a report on ESPN’s Outside the Lines.
Two sources tell “Outside the Lines” that the Texas A&M quarterback agreed to sign memorabilia in exchange for a five-figure flat fee during his trip to Miami for the Discover BCS National Championship. Both sources said they witnessed the signing, though neither saw the actual exchange of money.
Under NCAA bylaws, Manziel is not allowed to accept money for products or services, including a signing session. If it is found that he did receive money, Manziel could be ruled ineligible.
Related: Leaf announces Johnny Manziel as mystery redemption
In March, Leaf Trading Cards announced it would include autograph cards of Manziel in its Leaf Metal Draft and Leaf Valiant product. Collectors could get them by pulling a mystery redemption card. The cards were not signed by Manziel. Instead, Leaf Trading Card President Brian Gray says he bought autographed photos on the secondary market to include cut signatures in these cards.
At the time of the news, Texas A&M director of compliance David Batson told ESPN: “He has not knowingly provided his autograph for use in these cards; and he will not receive any compensation from the sale of these cards As for whether Texas A&M or Johnny Manziel must request that Leaf not sell these Mystery Redemption Cards, the answer is no because such a step is not necessary when a photo or painting is sold for private use.”
Leaf also included cut signatures of Manziel in its Legends of the Gridiron product.
Manziel autographs command good money on the secondary market. Completed listings on eBay show autographed items selling for more than $100 and often around $200.
Susan Lulgjuraj is an editor of Beckett Football. You can email her here with questions, comments or ideas. Follow her on Twitter here. Follow Beckett Media on Facebook and Twitter.
This is idiotic. Everyone makes money except the people that are the reason why people are paying to see the games. By all means continue to disallow fake jobs and bribes like sports cars. And, of course, don’t allow players to be paid to effect the outcome of the game ala point shaving. But its this kind of stuff that shows the pure hubris of the NCAA which allows its coaches to select the shoes the players MUST wear and who is allowed to pocket the money from Nike or Adidas or the like, provided that the university has not itself already received its own payment to make them wear something else.
Not to mention selling Jerseys with the players numbers on it and so forth.
There is indeed corruption in sports, but much of it is NOT coming from the players, except for that portion
that the universities hush up to keep them eligible.
I though it was odd at the National the amount of autograph material for Johnny football. I think one autographed article was actually one of the bigger giveaways for one of the companies (Might have been Leaf).
Its also odd the lead story on Sunday nights Sports Center mentions PSA and JSA, that doesn’t happen often.