Football players temporarily stop working at hookah business

By: Megan Saucke

Posted: 11/21/08

UPDATED: 11/21/2008 10:00 a.m.

Two members of the Syracuse University football team have stopped working at their hookah bar business until football season is over, said manager Courtney Burton.

Sue Edson, assistant athletic director for communications, said the two players are not allowed to have their likenesses associated with the establishment until their athletic eligibility expires.

NCAA rules prohibit athletes from using their names or likenesses to promote a business.

Freshman Mikhail Marinovich and senior Niko Rechul opened Hollywood Hookah, a smoking lounge, on Marshall Street two weeks ago.

The SU Athletic Department told Marinovich and Rechul to stop giving interviews to the press, Burton said. The new restrictions come after criticism of the two players and the SU football team following media coverage of the business.

Edson said the measures were used to help protect the athlete's eligibility.

Marinovich and Rechul still own Hollywood Hookah, Burton said, but their hands-on approach had to be limited.

Rechul declined comment and attempts to reach Marinovich Wednesday night were unsuccessful.

The Daily Orange was issued a cease and desist letter Nov. 14 from SU's Office of Athletic Compliance after a Nov. 13 story on the front page that featured a picture of Marinovich and Rechul in the hookah bar.

The letter requested that "the Daily Orange cease and desist using the names and pictures of Syracuse University student-athletes in association with the articles related to the 'Hollywood Hookah Bar.'"

The photo was "viewed by NCAA rules as an explicit endorsement of the 'Hollywood Hookah Bar' and is not permissible," according to the document, which referred to NCAA bylaw 12.5.2.2.

The bylaw states that if a student-athlete's name or picture is used on commercial items like "T-shirts, sweatshirts, serving trays, playing cars, posters, photographs," or used without their knowledge or permission to promote a commercial product, the institution acting on behalf of the athlete must take steps to stop that activity.

Erlease Wagner, director of athletic compliance, wrote the letter.

"You have a student-athlete's photo being used in conjunction with a promotion advertisement of a commercial entity, which is not permissible," Wagner said in a phone interview.

The Daily Orange is not an entity regulated by the NCAA.

More coverage: The smoking room (Nov. 13)

-- Melanie Hicken and Stephen Dockery contributed reporting to this story