🏛 THE NEW PLAYING FIELD | How college athletes took the NCAA to court and fundamentally rewrote the rules of college sports.
College and high-school athletes are increasingly turning to the courts to challenge NCAA rules and secure their rights to play and profit from their talent, thanks to new NIL regulations. Recent victories, like those in Ohio and the Pavia case, show courts are crucial in changing the landscape of amateur sports, even though outcomes remain unpredictable. Today, the law is actively shaping the future of athletics at every level.
Playing the Fifth: College Athletes versus the NCAA’s Redshirt Rule
Summary
A group of college athletes has filed a class-action lawsuit against the NCAA’s redshirt rule, arguing that the limitation of four years of competition within a five-year eligibility window violates antitrust law and restricts their ability to earn income from Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. The athletes advocate for “five years to practice, five years to graduate, five years to play,” emphasizing the lost opportunities caused by the current rule. Previous lawsuits and involvement from the Department of Justice highlight growing legal pressure on the NCAA’s control over athlete eligibility and compensation. This legal battle reflects a broader movement to reform longstanding amateurism rules in college sports and ensure athletes have fair access to both competition and earning potential.