FO – HOME TEAM REQUIREMENTS FO - 1.1 CONFERENCE MATERIALS The home team shall be responsible for the following Conference materials for each home contests. FO - 1.1.1 CONFERENCE PSA Each institution is required to run the Conference PSA prior to each home football contest (Conference/Non-Conference) within 60 minutes of the designated kickoff time. FO - 1.1.2 GAME MELT The Conference requires each member to record the HD game melt from the television truck postgame and upload the footage to XOS Digital XChange within 24 hours of the conclusion of the game. FO - 1.1.3 GAME PROGRAM Each institution is required to provide two pages in its game program for Conference content – one editorial page and one page for a Conference advertisement. Materials will be submitted to institutions no later than July 31, unless requested earlier. FO - 1.2 GAME PERSONNEL FO - 1.2.1 CHAIN CREW The chain crew, including the down and distance operator, the clip person, the auxiliary box operator, and the line to gain indicator operator must wear the blue and white American Athletic Conference vests supplied by the Conference Office. The chain crew must report to the head linesman 75 minutes prior to kickoff. FO - 1.2.2 GAME CLOCK AND PLAY CLOCK OPERATOR Each host school assigns a qualified person to operate the game clock and another to operate the play clock for each game. The game clock and play clock operator must be properly identified and be fully trained with the NCAA Football Playing Rules (Section 3, Articles 1 &2). Game Clock and Play Clock are required to attend the 105 minute meeting. The Clock Operator must meet with the Back Judge and the play clock operator with the Side Judge. Their fees are paid by the host institution. The game clock and play clock operator must wear a Conference branded polo that will be provided by the Conference office for all home games. FO - 1.2.3 RED HAT (TELEVISION TIMEOUT LIAISON) The Red Hat is provided by the institution and approved by the Conference for all home games. Prior to the game, he or she should contact the Home Game Administrator to determine the time and location of the 105 Minute Meeting. At this meeting, the Red Hat should confirm the kickoff time and commercial format with the producer and referee. He or she must coordinate the signals (time out, time remaining, ready for play) to the game officials. In case of inclement weather, Game management officials shall first notify the television timeout coordinator (“RED HAT”) and it is the responsibility of the “Red Hat” to immediately notify the Head Referee. 33 FO – HOME TEAM REQUIREMENTS During the game, the Red Hat shall take a position at approximately the 20-yard line on either end of the field on the same sideline as the primary TV cameras. Required dress is a red cap and vest provided by the Conference office. Their fees are paid by the Conference office. FO - 1.2.4 REPLAY SIDELINE ASSISTANTS The home institution must assign and provide two (2) individual to serve as replay sideline assistant. Each sideline assistant will be located at the 25 yard line to assist with communication between the replay official and referee. Sideline assistants are required to wear the communication headset and Conference supplied green vest at all times. Their fees are paid by the host institution. FO - 1.2.5 REPLAY TECHNICIAN Each host school assigns a qualified person to serve as the replay technician. This person(s) will be trained by the Conference office prior to the start of the season and will be responsible for setting up and operating all equipment in the instant replay booth. Their fees are paid by the host institution. FO - 1.3 HOME GAME ADMINISTRATORS Each institution shall identify and notify the Conference office of their home game administrator prior to the season. The home game administrator must identify himself or herself to the officials prior to kickoff. FO - 1.4 OFFICIALS REQUIREMENTS FO - 1.4.1 HOTELS American Athletic Conference Football Officials are responsible for reserving 10 hotel rooms in each institutions city for the day prior to each home football date (conference and non-conference) no later than May 1 prior to the competition season. The hotel must be within 25 miles of the competition site and be approved be each institutions home game manager. The home team is still responsible for providing van service to and from the competition site. FO - 1.4.2 VAN SERVICE The home institution is responsible for providing a van to transport the on-field officials from the designated hotel to the stadium and, following the game, transporting them back to the hotel. FO - 1.4.3 DRESSING FACILITIES Private dressing facilities are to be provided for the game officials and replay personnel at the Stadium. No other support personnel (e.g. Chain Crew, Clock Operator, Red Hat) should use this dressing room; only the game officials, the Coordinator of Officiating, the Replay Official/Technical Advisor and the replay communicator are allowed in the officials’ dressing room. A sign shall be placed on the door with the following statement: “Positively No Admittance by Unauthorized Personnel by order of Mike Aresco, Commissioner, American Athletic Conference.” 34 FO – HOME TEAM REQUIREMENTS FO - 1.4.4 SECURITY Game officials should have a security escort whenever entering or exiting the field from their dressing room area, for pregame, halftime, and postgame. A security representative also should be posted outside the officials’ dressing room door when occupied and no one is to be admitted without approval of the referee. FO - 1.4.5 REFRESHMENTS Sandwiches, sodas, soap and towels are to be provided in the dressing room at the stadium immediately following the game. FO - 1.4.6 PARKING PASSES The instant replay official and red hat should each receive one parking pass for use on game day. FO - 1.4.7 CREDENTIALS – REPLAY OFFICIAL & COMMUNICATOR The Replay Official and the Communicator shall gain admittance via an “All-Area Access Pass”. Game credentials and parking pass should be sent to the Replay Official prior to game day. FO – 1.5 POLICE ESCORTS The home team will be responsible for providing the visiting team with a police escort for travel between the airport, stadium and hotel on both the day before and on game day. FO - 1.6 POSTGAME FAMILY MEETING AREA Host Administration should clearly identify to the visiting team administrator a safe and secure location for players’ families/friends to wait to meet after the game. This also applies to the home team post game meeting area. FO - 1.7 PRACTICE/WALK-THRU (DAY BEFORE OR DAY OF GAME) The home team will designate a two-hour time period on the day before the game to conduct their practice on the game field. The visiting team will be able to choose any other one and a half hour time period to conduct their practice. If the home team is unable to use the game field on the day prior to the game they are under no obligation to provide this opportunity to the visiting team. In the event of such a circumstance, the home team will provide the visiting team with an alternate practice location if desired. In inclement weather, it is the judgment of the home team whether the game field is suitable for practice. If the kick-off time is later than P.M., the visiting team may elect to conduct their walk-thru on the day of the game. The home team may elect to block off a two-hour time period on game day to conduct their walk-thru. The visiting team may choose either a one and a half hour walk-thru the day before the game or on game day itself, but may not do both. The visiting team walk-thru must also begin no later than 6 hours before kickoff on game day. 35 FO – HOME TEAM REQUIREMENTS FO - 1.8 RADIO LINES The home team must provide the following in visiting radio booth free of charge: 1. One ISDN or VoIP line 2. Two standard telephone lines 3. Two dry lines to the visitors locker room 4. One video monitor for replays 5. One statistics monitor or a link to real-time game statistics (i.e., StatBroadcast) FO - 1.9 REPLAY BOOTH REQUIREMENTS The home institution will ensure that the following instant replay specifications are met for all home games: FO - 1.9.1 REPLAY BOOTH Dedicated space within the press box or suite level to accommodate no less than 4 people and the hardware. The space shall have protection on all sides and any heating or cooling that is standard in that area. A door for security and protection as well as blocked off sides (covered glass or solid walls) is preferred for this working environment. A clear view of the playing field is required. A sign shall be placed on the door with the following statement: “Positively No Admittance by Unauthorized Personnel by order of Mike Aresco, Commissioner, and American Athletic Conference.” FO - 1.9.2 WORKING SURFACE A counter across the front of the box is required for equipment and a working surface. The counter should have several small circular holes in it for computer, video, audio, phone and power cable runs. FO – 1.9.3 SEATING A minimum of 3 high swivel stools with backs for working operators. FO – 1.9.4 AUDIO FEEDS A speaker that provides the in-stadium audio feed of the Referee’s announcement must be present in the Replay Booth.