Game Management Procedures
1. Statement of Purpose
The member schools of the Mid-South Conference are committed to providing a safe, friendly
environment at all athletic events. Our goal is to promote mutual trust and good relationships between
Mid-South Conference members and other visiting institutions by emphasizing the five core values of the
NAIA’s Champions of Character initiative (respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and
sportsmanship) at all athletic contests. The host institution is responsible for assuring that crowd control
and game management are exercised in the best interest of safety and fair play for the participants, as
well as spectators.
Representatives of member institutions including student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni, fans, patrons
and boosters shall always conduct themselves with integrity and good sportsmanship. Their behavior
shall at all times reflect the high standards of honor and dignity that characterize the Mid-South
Conference and its member institutions, the NAIA, and participation in intercollegiate athletics.
Intercollegiate athletics should strive to intentionally teach character development, enhance the integrity
of higher education and promote civility in society. Therefore, coaches, student-athletes and all others
associated with athletic programs and events should adhere to such fundamental values as respect,
responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship. These values should be manifest not only
in athletics participation, but also in the broad spectrum of activities affecting the athletics programs of the
Mid-South Conference member institutions.
2. Game Management
The responsibility for crowd control and game management at Mid-South Conference athletic events
rests with the athletics director of the host institution. For all athletic events, the athletics director shall
designate someone to serve as the game management director; however ultimate responsibility shall
remain with the athletics director. The home institution shall supply the visiting team and game officials
with the name and location of the individual responsible for game management and crowd control.
The athletics directors of each member institution are expected to communicate with their studentathletes, coaches and fans to encourage enthusiastic support within the boundaries of respect,
responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship. Host institutions must provide adequate
security and other game management personnel for effective crowd management. Attention should be
given to seating arrangements and other measures that will alleviate crowd-control issues. In addition,
evacuation and emergency management plans should be in place and reviewed on a regular basis.
The following guiding principles dealing with sportsmanship, game administration, and conduct of
coaches, student-athletes and support personnel shall be adhered to by all Mid-South Conference
member institutions:
3. General Procedures
1. Coaches and assistant coaches are charged with a responsibility that reaches beyond the game.
Their behavior directly affects the conduct of their bench personnel, players and spectators.
Their job is to prepare the team for the game, and to conduct themselves in such a manner
during the game as to ensure good crowd control. Head coaches are responsible for the conduct
of all persons in the bench area.
2. Each athletic contest shall be played and administered according to the prescribed rules set forth
by its sport, the Mid-South Conference, the NAIA, and, when applicable, the NCAA.
3. The host institution shall ensure the visiting team has an equal opportunity to compete
successfully. This demands that each institution provide adequate crowd control, bench safety,
and locker room security.
4. Coaches, staff and administrators shall refrain from directed public criticism of other member
institutions, their staff or student-athletes.
5. Coaches, staff and administrators shall make every attempt to promote the Conference and its
members in a positive manner.
6. Coaches, staff and administrators shall make every effort to promote a cooperative environment
with the media, providing them with reasonable access to student-athletes, team information and
interview opportunities.
7. Coaches, staff and administrators shall refrain from all public criticism of officials.
8. Coaches, staff and administrators shall provide favorable examples in appearance, conduct,
language and sportsmanship, and shall refrain from personal conduct that may incite spectators.
9. Coaches, staff and administrators shall exhibit respect and courtesy toward opposing players and
coaches.
10. Member institutions shall assure that all students involved in athletic activities, including studentathletes, band members, cheerleaders, mascots, and students as fans, are informed of the
acceptable behavior that is expected of them as representatives of their institution.
11. Member institutions shall have a “zero tolerance” policy regarding fans throwing items onto the
playing surface, and shall immediately eject violators from the facility.
12. Cheerleaders and mascots shall be restricted to the areas designated by the game manager. At
no time may cheerleaders or mascots enter the playing area while the game is in progress.
Cheerleaders and mascots shall only enter the seating areas occupied by their fans. No physical
contact shall be allowed between cheerleaders or mascots before, during or after the game.
Comments, chants or cheers shall never be directed toward opposing players, coaches, fans or
officials. Vulgar, obscene or offensive language shall not be used.
13. The home team shall identify a staff person to serve as the visiting team liaison before, during
and after each game. The visiting team liaison shall identify themselves to the visiting team
coaches and staff, and shall remain in contact with the visiting team throughout their stay should
any issues or concerns arise.
14. Under no circumstance shall the visiting team return to the playing area once they have gone to
the locker room after the game (i.e. no “curtain calls”).
15. The home team shall use appropriate measures to keep fans from coming into the playing area at
any time, particularly during the game. Appropriate measures will be taken to insure that fan
access following the game takes place only after both teams have cleared the playing area.
16. Public address announcers must be objective and not overly emotional in their presentation. The
announcer must give only necessary information in good taste and acceptable language. The
announcer must be in control of what is said over the PA system at all times, and shall permit no
one to use the microphone unless authorized by game management personnel. The announcer
must be familiar with the facility so that calm and accurate instructions can be given in case of
emergency. The announcer is not to criticize officials or their decisions directly or indirectly.
Game officials shall not be introduced.
17. The home team shall make adequate and comfortable accommodations for visiting radio and
sports information including a phone line for radio broadcast, as well as access to a fax machine
and a copy machine if requested. The visiting team shall be responsible for any long distance
phone charges related to their radio broadcast. The home team shall provide stats for the visiting
team coaches at halftime and/or following the game if requested. It shall be the visiting team’s
responsibility to pick up stats from the home team SID at the appropriate times.
18. The home team shall make all reasonable, adequate and comfortable accommodations for the
visiting team’s players and coaches including, but not limited to: locker room access during pregame, half-time and post-game; water; ice; towels, etc… In the absence of a locker room, the
home team will provide the visiting with a suitable space that is appropriately heated or cooled,
well-ventilated, protected from the elements, and/or provides privacy and a secure environment.
The Mid-South Conference requires that all visiting teams be treated as respected and honorable
guests, and encourages its member institutions to make every effort to show hospitality and
sportsmanship when hosting any opponent (Added 12/05/07).
4. Football Procedures
1. A maximum of 30 bench passes shall be distributed to the home and visiting teams before each
game. Anyone in the bench area not in uniform must wear a bench pass. No one shall be
allowed on either sideline without a uniform or bench pass.
2. The home institution shall notify the visiting team upon arrival at the stadium regarding the
national anthem, introductions and other pre-game procedures.
3. The playing field must be made available for pre-game warm-up no later than 75 minutes before
kick-off. Pre-game warm-up areas shall be designated by game management and communicated
with visiting team upon arrival at the stadium. At halftime, the field must be available at least
three minutes prior to the start of the second half.
4. The home team’s seating section must be located on the opposite side of the field from the
visiting team bench. It is recommended that the visiting team should not be required to enter or
exit the field in close proximity to the home team’s student seating area.
5. The home team shall wear dark jerseys and the visiting team shall wear white jerseys. The home
team may wear white jerseys provided that both teams agree.
6. All time-outs after a score or charged full team time-out shall be one-minute fifteen seconds
(1:15) in length to accommodate radio.
7. Pep bands shall not be located behind or beside the visiting team area. No instruments shall be
used under any circumstance while a game is in progress. Bands may perform during pre-game,
halftime, post-game and during timeouts or other official stoppage in play.
8. Artificial noisemakers shall be restricted to pre-game, half-time, post-game, and during timeouts
or other official stoppage in play. The use of artificial noisemakers shall be strictly prohibited
during play and will result in confiscation by game security or game management.
9. Members of the chain crew and ball boys shall conduct themselves in a professional, non-biased
manner while working the game. Sideline personnel shall dress appropriately and are strongly
discouraged from wearing team apparel, and must be of appropriate age and skill level to perform
the duties, which they are assigned.
10. If both teams must exit the field in the same area, the home team shall wait until the visiting team
has completely exited the playing area before doing so themselves. Likewise, game
management should coordinate teams entering the field in the same area so that both teams are
not entering at the same time.
5. Basketball Procedures
1. The athletics director shall serve as the game manager or appoint someone knowledgeable in
game management and crowd control to serve in that capacity for all home games. The game
manager should visit briefly with game officials and the visiting coach prior to each game. The
game manager shall ensure that the official scorer and timers are available to meet with game
officials at least thirty-minutes prior to the start of the game. The game manager should provide
supervision prior to and during each contest, and continue supervision following the game until all
groups have dispersed.
2. The host institution shall be responsible for furnishing a qualified official scorer and two clock
operators. Specific duties of these officials are explained in the NCAA Basketball Rules.
3. Bench personnel must remain in the coaching-box area except under the following
circumstances:
a.
A team representative may leave the bench area to seek information from the
scorer or timer during a timeout or intermission.
b.
A player may leave the bench area to report to the scorer’s table.
c.
A coach, player or team attendant may leave the bench area at any time to point
out a scorer’s or timer’s mistake, or to request a timeout for a correctable error. If
there was no mistake on the part of the scorer or timer, or if the error is not
correctable, a timeout will be charged to the offending team.
d.
The head coach may leave the bench area if a fight breaks out on the court. Any
bench personnel other than the head coach who leave the bench area during a
fight shall be disqualified from participating in the game and shall go to the
team’s locker room for the remainder of the game. No technical fouls will be
assessed.
e.
During a timeout or intermission charged to a team, the coaches and/or team
attendants may confer with their players at or near the bench area.
f.
During timeouts in which a team either sits or stands on the playing floor instead
of the bench area, team attendants shall be responsible for wiping any moisture
off the floor at the conclusion of the timeout. Teams choosing to remain on the
playing floor during timeouts must stay within the coach’s box extended.
4. Institutions that have courtside seating immediately adjacent to the playing area are responsible
for reminding ticket holders of their higher level of accountability for their actions and conduct
before, during and after the game. Game management will adopt a “zero tolerance” policy toward
these individuals in the event of profanity, racial slurs, taunting, or any threatening remarks or
actions. Game management shall remove the individuals immediately upon being made aware of
this type of behavior.
5. The starting time for all games will be determined by the home team and shall be no later than
8:00 p.m. local time. All conference games shall follow the schedule as presented by the MidSouth Conference Commissioner and approved by the athletics directors.
6. Large physical distraction devices are prohibited behind the visitor’s basket.
7. The game floor shall be cleared of all activity at least 45 minutes prior to game time to allow for
game set-up and team warm-up. Player introductions and other pre-game ceremonies shall not
be included in this time. The visiting team should be notified in advance of any extended pregame ceremonies (other than invocation, national anthem and standard player introductions), and
shall be allowed to leave the floor and return to the locker room. The visiting team shall have five
minutes of warm-up upon returning to the floor.
8. Halftime shall be 20 minutes in length, and the floor shall be cleared for team warm-up at least
three minutes prior to the beginning of the second half of play.
9. Artificial noisemakers shall not be permitted to be brought into or used in basketball arenas.
10. Ball crews shall be limited to six persons, three per basket, with a minimum age of 10 years.
11. Pep bands may not be located behind or beside the visitor’s bench. Instruments may not be used
during play under any circumstances. Bands may perform during pre-game, timeouts, dead ball
situations, between halves and at the end of the game. Bands shall always be prohibited from
playing while the game is in progress.
12. All bench personnel must have appropriate credentials. The visitor’s bench may not be located in
front of or beside the pep band or student sections. The visitor’s bench shall be located either on
the opposite side of the court or the opposite end of the court from the pep band and student
sections.
13. Cheerleaders shall be located at the same end of the playing floor as their respective team
bench. Megaphones may be used for voice amplification only and may not be used as a noise
distraction device (i.e. pounding on the floor, striking with hands or other objects, etc.).
Cheerleaders may not enter the playing floor during 30-second timeouts. At no time shall
cheerleaders express displeasure with officials’ calls or taunt the opposing team or their fans.
Cheerleaders and mascots will be accommodated at away games and restricted in location by
the game manager.
14. Two radio timeouts will be called during each half at twelve minutes (12:00) and six minutes
(6:00). All full timeouts will be one-minute fifteen seconds (1:15) in length.
15. Spectators shall not be permitted to assemble around the edge of the court at any time during the
game. Spectators are not permitted to enter the playing area at any time, including immediately
following the conclusion of the game until all players, coaches and team personnel have had an
opportunity to exit the playing area.
16. Security shall escort game officials to and from the locker room before the game, at halftime and
at the conclusion of the game, if requested. Security should also be prepared to escort game
officials to their vehicle after the game, if requested.
6. Exceptions
While all Mid-South Conference member institutions are committed to providing a safe and friendly
environment at all athletic events, it is understood that there may be circumstances or situations that exist
which may make it difficult for an institution to strictly adhere to these procedures. The Mid-South
Conference Commissioner must approve in writing any exceptions to these game management
procedures, and the Commissioner’s ruling regarding exceptions shall be final. The appropriate member
institutions shall be notified immediately in writing when an exception has been granted.
7. Fighting
Anyone leaving the bench area during a fighting incident shall be subject to disqualification for the
remainder of that game and the following game. A student-athlete who is disqualified must leave the
team area immediately. Coaches who are disqualified must leave the team area and may not participate
in any coaching related activities. The first time an individual participates in a fight during the season
(including exhibition games), the individual will be suspended from participating in the team’s next game.
If the same individual participates in a second fight, that individual shall be suspended for the remainder
of the season, including post season. If an individual participates in a fight during his or her team’s final
game of the season, that individual will be suspended from participating in the team’s next regular season
game for which that player, coach or other team personnel would be eligible. Any player, coach or other
team personnel under suspension for fighting may not sit on the team bench.
8. Interrupted Game Procedures
Game management personnel shall give every effort to see that each game is played to its conclusion.
The Mid-South Conference recognizes that emergencies and other unavoidable situations may arise that
make a game’s completion impossible or inadvisable. Such circumstances may include, but are not
limited to, severe weather, natural or man-made disasters, power failure and spectator interference:
1. All decisions to delay or relocate a game prior to the start of the game shall be made by the home
team’s athletics director or senior level administrator, in consultation with the game officials. All
decisions to suspend a game shall be made by the referee, in consultation with home team game
management. Decisions to cancel, postpone or terminate a contest shall be made by the MidSouth Conference Commissioner.
2. Games should be delayed, relocated, suspended, canceled, postponed or terminated when
circumstances exist such that commencement or continuation of play would pose a threat to the
safety of the participants and fans.
a.
Delay – to delay the start of a game until a later time. The home team athletics
director or designated senior level administrator shall determine whether a game
should be delayed to a later time on the same date.
b.
Relocate – to change the location of competition. The home team athletics
director or designated senior level administrator shall determine whether a game
should be relocated on the same date. The decision shall be made in
consultation with the visiting team. The alternate site must be in full compliance
with all playing rules and regulations governing that sport, unless both institutions
agree.
c.
Suspend – to temporarily halt play for a short period of time once competition has
begun. The decision to suspend a game and when to resume play shall be
made by the game officials, in consultation with game management. A
suspended game shall not be resumed after midnight. In this event, the teams
shall declare the game postponed and attempt to resume at a later date. If the
game cannot be resumed at a later date, the following will apply:
 If the game is suspended prior to completion of at least one half of play,
it shall be declared a canceled game.
 If the game is suspended after completion of at least one half of play, it
shall be declared a terminated game
d.
Cancel – to nullify the game before or after it begins, to make no provision for
rescheduling it, or for including the score or other statistics in team records. If a
game is postponed before it starts for any reason, the two institutions shall
attempt to reschedule the game at a later date. If the game cannot be
rescheduled, it will be considered a canceled game.
e.
Postpone – deferring the starting time to a later date, or suspending it after play
has begun with a provision to resume it at a later date with all scores and other
statistics carried forward when it is resumed.
f.
Terminate – to end short of a designated time of play, officially record it as a
completed game, and make no provision to resume it at a later date.
3. In the event that a game must be delayed, relocated, cancelled or postponed, every consideration
shall be given and, if possible, decisions shall be made with the interest of the visiting team in
mind so as to avoid unnecessary travel or expense by the visiting team.
9. Security
The host institution is to take appropriate security measures to prevent fans from entering the playing
area before, during, and immediately following the game. Home institutions are responsible for providing
protected access from the playing area to the locker rooms for both teams and the game officials at the
end of each applicable playing period. The home institution must strive to ensure that adequate security
measures are implemented both inside and outside the playing area, before and after the game, to avoid
physical or verbal threats or hostilities between fans and team personnel, or between fans and game
officials. Host institutions shall, with appropriate resources:
1. Provide appropriate security for team buses during arrival and departure, and for team personnel
while going to and from the buses. The home team shall coordinate with the visiting team so that
both teams do not arrive and enter the facility at the same time.
2. Provide appropriate security for team personnel and game officials going to and from the playing
area. Fans should not be allowed to congregate near passageways where team personnel and
game officials will enter or exit.
3. Ensure that no fan enters the playing or team areas at any time unless such entry is properly
credentialed or authorized. Appropriate security personnel must remove unauthorized persons
entering the playing or team area immediately. The announcer should make at least one
announcement during the game regarding the prohibition of entering the playing area. Special
attention shall be given to prevent fans from entering the playing area immediately following the
game.
4. Provide adequate security around team bench areas.
5. Provide adequate security at locker rooms of team personnel and game officials.
6. Take appropriate measures, including removal from premises, if any fan engages in physical or
extreme verbal abuse of team personnel, game officials or other fans (i.e. racial slurs, profane
gestures or language, throwing of objects, etc.).
Physical or verbal hostilities involving team personnel and game officials that occur in the playing area
during the course of a game are not the responsibility of security personnel unless a game official
requests their assistance. These situations should be handled by the game officials and/or through postgame discipline by the institution and/or the Mid-South Conference commissioner.
10. Officials
1. No coach, student-athlete or member of the team’s official party shall talk to game officials prior
to, during or after the game concerning any matter related to the game, except for discussions
pertaining to the rules of the game. There shall be no communication of any sort between
coaches and officials at halftime. If a prolonged conversation is required, both coaches should be
present.
2. Criticism of officials by institutional or team personnel is absolutely prohibited. Comments on
officiating are to be directed only to the Mid-South Conference commissioner. All reports or
comments pertaining to officiating or game management, or concerning student-athletes,
coaches or officials, shall be directed to the Mid-South Conference office. Public comments of a
critical nature by officials, coaches or institutional personnel are prohibited.
3. Films or videotapes shall not be used by coaches or other institutional personnel for public
criticism of officials or officiating. No reference to officiating matters shall be permitted on
institutional radio or television shows.
4. Coaches shall not contact officials directly through correspondence, email or telephone, and all
matters pertaining to officials or officiating will be directed to the Mid-South Conference office
only. Likewise, procedure will preclude officials from contacting coaches in a similar manner.
5. The names of game officials shall not be announced to the media or the public prior to the start of
the game.
6. The officials’ dressing room should be secure, conveniently located to the playing area and set up
as suggested below:
a.
Towels and soap
b.
Chairs and a table
c.
Chalkboard or dry-erase board
d.
Game programs / media guides
e.
Soft drinks and water
7. If an official requests the service of a trainer or needs any supplies, the trainer should come to the
officials’ dressing room to provide the service or deliver supplies. The official should not go to the
training room.
8. Absolutely no one shall be allowed access to the officials’ dressing room without permission
except for the officials assigned to the game, the game manager and Mid-South Conference staff.
11. Tobacco-Related Products
The use of tobacco-related products by student-athletes, coaches, support personnel, game personnel
and other staff in all sports during practice, competition and other sports-related activities shall be
prohibited. This shall apply to all activities and areas surrounding competition and practice including
press box areas and locker rooms.