Johnny Manziel will never play football for the Owls, yet he has indirectly impacted the program.
The Palm Beach Post reports that FAU has altered the autograph policy for its Fan Day event, which will be held on Saturday, Aug. 24. Players will now only be allowed to sign FAU posters given out to those who attend the festivities.
“No memorabilia or other items will be allowed to be signed by our players,” FAU Director of Marketing Patrick Walker told the Palm Beach Post.
These changes from FAU have come in the midst of Manziel’s recent autograph scandal. Manziel, the Texas A&M quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, is being investigated by the NCAA for allegedly signing autographs and other memorabilia for brokers in exchange for large sums of cash.
According to the Post, this incident prompted FAU officials to explore the school’s policy, and they even considered prohibiting autographs entirely. Fortunately for the Owls’ faithful, those measures weren’t put into place.
Fan Day is scheduled to take place from 11 a.m. to noon at FAU Stadium. The team will practice prior to the event and then gather at the Delray Honda Deck of the stadium, where fans can take pictures with the players and get their posters signed.
Walker believes this helps build a connection between the team and its fanbase.
“I think a lot of schools are going this route, where it is an interaction to get to know the players,” Walker told the Post.
