With the chaos of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, it is easy to forget that there is currently a groundbreaking case in arbitration involving 18 University of Nebraska football players challenging the denial of over one million dollars in combined third-party NIL deals. Two weeks ago, I wrote an initial blog highlighting the details of the... Continue Reading →
Nebraska NIL Case Could Set Major Precedent
The aftermath of the House settlement has led us to the world of the College Sports Commission (CSC) and NIL Go, a clearinghouse for reviewing NIL deals between third parties and college athletes. This system has been put in place as an enforcement mechanism, although where the authority comes from is not very clear. The... Continue Reading →
Mississippi Bill Allows Student-Athletes to Earn NIL Money Tax-Free
The State of Mississippi recently passed House Bill 4014, which is a bill that would allow student-athletes to earn money on their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) exempt from state income tax. This is the latest action in what appears to be an arms race in SEC country as far as finding ways to improve... Continue Reading →
Jaden Rashada Settles NIL Recruitment Lawsuit
One of the most high-profile NIL related lawsuits in college sports recently settled between quarterback Jaden Rashada (a former Florida recruit) and various individuals involved with the University of Florida. Former head football coach Billy Napier, former staff member Marcus Castro-Walker, Florida booster Hugh Hathcock, and an automotive shop connected to boosters, were all named... Continue Reading →
Kansas State Parted Ways with Basketball Head Coach Jerome Tang “For Cause” — What This Means for Both Parties
Coaches often feel inclined to make public statements about their team’s performance. Earlier this month, former Kansas State Men’s Basketball head coach Jerome Tang found himself in hot water with the national media after harsh comments about the Wildcats’ performance in a blowout loss to Cincinnati. In the days after Tang’s comments, Kansas State made... Continue Reading →
Tradition vs the Twenty First Century: The Debate Over the Use of Native American Mascots
Photo Credit: https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/as-washington-renounces-native-american-imagery-pressure-continues-on-remaining-teams/ It seems like it’s a debate as old as time, but again there is controversy regarding a sports team using Native American mascots and imagery. No, it’s not the Atlanta Braves, or the Kansas City Chiefs, or the Chicago Blackhawks, but an obscure high school in the Long Island town of Massapequa.... Continue Reading →
The SAFE Bet Act: What You Need to Know
In May of 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States released an opinion – Murphy v. National College Athletic Association – which “struck down a 1992 federal law . . . that effectively banned commercial sports betting in most states . . . .”[1] In essence, the opinion “open[ed] the door to legalizing the... Continue Reading →
Rejected Settlement Ignites New Battles Over Collegiate Athlete’s Compensation
The proposed settlement in House v. NCAA, as previously covered, was an attempt by the NCAA to resolve pending litigation regarding compensation for athletes who played college sports from 2016 to 2024.[1] The proposed settlement allocated $1.976 billion for the claims of NIL damages, which would be allocated among the schools and then distributed to... Continue Reading →
Union or Bust: Athletes’ Continued Fight to Unionize Post NCAA Settlement
The fight for collegiate athletes to be compensated fairly has long preceded the recent decision in House v. NCAA.[1] Since the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (hereinafter NCAA) was formed, student-athletes have sought compensation for their contributions to the sport and their respective universities.[2] The slow climb required student-athletes to face adversity and... Continue Reading →
Employee or Not Employee? That is the Question. The Test for Employee Classification and its Impact on the USC Case Before the NLRB.
In the ever-changing landscape of college athletics, one of the biggest issues on the table is whether student athletes should be reclassified as employees. Like most questions in the legal field, the answer to this question is “it depends.” Accordingly, the test to determine if one is considered an employee under the National Labor Relations... Continue Reading →