Indian River was issued a letter of reprimand by the DIAA for their high school football team appearing in a broadcast commercial.
The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) has issued a formal letter of reprimand to Indian River High School for having student-athletes in a TV commercial.
The letter, issued Tuesday, cites that the school failed to comply with DIAA regulations concerning student-athlete eligibility and amateur status, following an investigation into the participation of the Indian River High School Football team in a television commercial promoting Hershey Exteriors, a roofing and remodeling company based in Seaford.
On Sept. 4, the football team participated in a commercial under the supervision of the Athletic Department, and the commercial constituted an endorsement of a commercial product, violating DIAA rules.
“We are appreciative of DIAA for conducting a thorough review of this matter and grateful this issue will not affect the hard work of our team, coaches, and volunteers,” said a statement from Indian River. “School and district officials commit to a thorough understanding of all DIAA regulations moving forward to prevent another issue arising in the future.”
This is the only commercial investigated by DIAA this year, according to Caitlin Finkley, marketing and communications specialist at DIAA.
It is unclear when the last incident of a commercial investigation occurred.
Immediate efforts Wednesday to reach Hershey Exteriors were unsuccessful.
In addition to the letter of reprimand, DIAA requests the immediate removal of the commercial from Draper Media/WBOC, who originally broadcasted the video.
DIAA is also asking the administration of Indian River High School to submit a media relations policy regarding student-athlete endorsements within 30 days.
The district has five business days to appeal to the DIAA Executive Director.
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Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
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