Opinion ID: 848690
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the mhsaa

Text: The MHSAA was originally founded in 1924 to exercise control over the interscholastic athletic activities of all public schools in the state through agreement with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The MHSAA was housed within the Michigan Department of Education, and its handbook, rules, and regulations were part of the Administrative Code of the state of Michigan. In 1972, the MHSAA became an incorporated, nonprofit membership organization. In that year, the Legislature transferred control of interscholastic athletics from the State Board of Education to the individual school boards, but retained the status of the MHSAA as the official association of the state. See MCL 340.379 (repealed by 1976 PA 451, § 1851); MCL 380.1289 (before its amendment by 1995 PA 289, § 1); MCL 380.1521 (repealed by 1995 PA 289, § 2). [1] In 1995, the Legislature adopted the Revised School Code, MCL 380.1 et seq., which repealed and amended several statutes. Through the Revised School Code, the MHSAA was removed as the official organization overseeing interscholastic sports. Under MCL 380.11a(4), a school district's membership in any athletic organization remains entirely voluntary (school districts  may ... join organizations as part of performing the functions of the school district [emphasis supplied]). The MHSAA is governed by a representative council made up of nineteen voting members, including fourteen members elected by member schools, four members appointed by the council, and one representative of the state superintendent of education. The council has control of interscholastic athletic policies, and a five-member executive committee makes rules necessary for the control and government of interschool activities. The MHSAA regulates interscholastic athletic competition between member schools and sets standards for school membership and eligibility of students to participate in interscholastic athletics. Apparently, the vast majority of high schools in Michigan are members of the MHSAA. Approximately seven hundred Michigan high schools are members of the MHSAA and more than eighty percent of those schools are public. Member schools pay no membership dues and no tournament entry fees. The only funds collected from schools are (1) payments for the cost of publications provided to a school in excess of the quantity already provided to members and (2) meeting expenses (for example, the cost of lunch). The majority  approximately ninety percent  of the MHSAA'S revenues are gate receipts at post-season athletic tournaments for football and basketball. The gate receipt revenues come directly from the sale of the MHSAA'S tickets to members of the public who attend MHSAA-sponsored events. In some cases, the MHSAA itself does not sell the tickets, but member schools remit to the MHSAA gate receipts collected from tickets sold by the schools for the MHSAA-sponsored events. Because no revenues are derived either during the regular season or from most of the tournaments sponsored by the MHSAA, the positive cash flow from the football and basketball tournaments is used to fund these other activities. Services provided by the MHSAA to its members include the provision of medical insurance for student-athletes; dissemination of play rule books; organization of meetings for coaches and officials; provision of several school and officials publications; provision of trophies and medals; training; direction and management of tournaments; and the services of the MHSAA staff.