• Loading stock data...
Monday, June 2, 2025

NCAA’s Pay-for-Play Era: What We Know and What’s Next

  • On Friday, a federal judge ruled that the NCAA must allow players and NIL collectives/boosters to negotiate NIL deals before a player commits.
  • The ruling could contribute to the death of amateurism—which is already on life support.
Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports

After years of court battles, pay-for-play in college sports is here.

Late Friday afternoon, Judge Clifton Corker, in the Eastern District of Tennessee, granted a preliminary injunction barring the NCAA from enforcing any of its regulations around name, image, and likeness deals. The ruling could contribute to the death of NCAA amateurism—which is already on life support.

The biggest consequence: NIL collectives and boosters are no longer prohibited from negotiating deals before athletes commit to a school, ensuring that deals can become part of the recruiting process. In a 13-page ruling, Judge Corker said the NCAA’s prohibition on these negotiations “suppresses price competition by limiting negotiating leverage and, as a result, knowledge of value.”

More Fallout

The ruling will have other consequences as well. Among them: Athletic department officials can now facilitate NIL deals. Media companies can offer players NIL deals as a share to generate broadcast revenue. The NCAA is also barred from enforcing its “rule of restitution,” which allows for retroactive punishment of players if a ruling is overturned. The effects of the ruling will be tested for the first time during the next transfer portal window in April.

The decision will remain in place until the lawsuit, brought by the Tennessee and Virginia attorneys general in January, is settled or goes to trial. The NCAA has not specified whether it will begin an appeals process, but the governing body is looking into policy changes.

It’s Not Cut-and-Dry

The injunction, however, doesn’t provide for a free-for-all. State laws that bar using pay-for-play as NIL deals still exist—though legislators will likely move to strike down those laws so their local schools don’t lose a recruiting advantage. Some legal experts reportedly see the ruling as only applying to athletes in a particular jurisdiction, though others agree the ruling applies nationwide. 

The NCAA also claimed that the majority of its members do not agree with the ruling, though it clearly benefits the thousands of players the governing body also theoretically represents. 

“Creating a more transparent NIL process for athletes should be a top priority for all, and this decision is a massive step forward in achieving that goal,” an association of NIL collectives said in a statement. Tennessee’s attorney general echoed that sentiment in a statement. 

The Next Step

What’s next for the governing body? The NCAA will continue to beg Congress for a law that would supersede all the antitrust litigation facing it—after all, this is just one of several cases that could sink the NCAA’s business model of amateurism. A trial at the National Labor Relations Board resumes today in Los Angeles over athlete employment status. (Another NLRB decision from earlier this month regarding Dartmouth men’s basketball players has already affirmed that some players are university employees.)

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Verstappen Nears F1 Suspension After ‘Mario Kart’–Style Mayhem

The Red Bull driver received penalty points in Sunday’s race.

As TNT NBA Era Ends, Charles Barkley Calls ESPN Move an ‘Honor’

TNT’s final NBA game was Pacers–Knicks on Saturday night.

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.

French Open Scheduling Sparks Backlash Over Women’s Time Slots

Coco Gauff has also said the French Open schedule could be improved.

Featured Today

How the Champions League Anthem Took on a Life of Its Own

The composer didn’t know he wrote a timeless hit three decades ago.
May 25, 2025

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
May 24, 2025

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The Philippines native has overcome a unique set of financial odds.
May 24, 2025

Indiana Is the Center of the Basketball Universe—Thanks to Both Pro Teams

The Fever and Pacers are thriving at the same time.
Mar 28, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels forward Jaemyn Brakefield (4) rebounds over Michigan State Spartans center Carson Cooper (15) and Mississippi Rebels guard Matthew Murrell (11) in the second half of a South Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena.

SEC Increases Court Storming Fine to $500K—With Caveat

The SEC used to fine schools $500,000 as a third-time offense.
May 29, 2025

Former Seton Hall Baseball Player Sues Over Sexualized Hazing

The student says the coach knew about the hazing and failed to act.
May 29, 2025

Brett Yormark: Big 12 Puts Private Equity and Naming Rights on Pause

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is shifting his conference’s strategy.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
May 29, 2025

Brian Kelly Pushes for SEC–Big Ten Alliance. Would It Widen the Gap?

A deal, if completed, would further strengthen college football’s two titans.
Mar 16, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) drives to the basket as Memphis Tigers forward Nicholas Jourdain (2) defends during the first half at Dickies Arena.
May 28, 2025

Prospects Picking College Over NBA Draft at Record Rate

The 2025 NBA draft has its lowest number of early entrants since 2015.
Tennessee pitcher Brayden Krenzel (34) pitches during a NCAA baseball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on May 11, 2025.
May 27, 2025

SEC Stranglehold on College Baseball Continues

SEC schools will host eight of the 16 regionals set to start this weekend.
May 22, 2025

Can Golf Emulate the College World Series Model?

Carlsbad, Calif., is hosting the event through 2028.