• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

NCAA Athletes Launch NIL Protest Amid March Madness

  • Athletes on more than 15 teams have protested NCAA rules that prohibit them from being paid.
  • Players held a Zoom call with the National College Players Association to plan the protest and create a list of demands for the NCAA.
man_bouncing_basketball
Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

As the Big Dance tips off, athletes on more than 15 teams have protested NCAA rules that prohibit them from being paid by flooding Twitter with the hashtag #NotNCAAProperty.

“The NCAA OWNS my name, image, and likeness,” Rutgers guard Geo Baker tweeted from inside the March Madness bubble. “For [people] who say ‘an athletic scholarship is enough.’ Anything less than equal rights is never enough.”

On March 16, players from more than a “dozen” March Madness teams met over Zoom with an athlete advocacy group called the National College Players Association to plan the protest, the NCPA said in a statement.

They came up with a list of demands. 

Athletes want NIL rights by July 1 and meetings with NCAA President Mark Emmert and state and federal lawmakers. They also asked that the Supreme Court not give the NCAA the ability to “deny…equal freedoms” in the upcoming case, NCAA v. Alston.

“The players and the NCPA are using the hashtag #NotNCAAProperty to underscore their concern that the NCAA too often treats college athletes like dollar signs rather than people,” the statement read.

Lawmakers plan to meet the July 1 deadline, whether the NCAA does or not. On that date, a Florida law allowing college athletes to profit off NIL takes effect. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) has said Congress will also pass federal legislation by then.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Sankey

SEC’s Sankey Blasts NCAA Plan to Allow Pro Sports Betting

NCAA athletes can bet on professional sports starting Nov. 1.

SEC Coaches Kiffin, Smart Question LSU’s Firing of Kelly: ‘Ridiculous’ 

Three SEC teams have fired their football coaches midseason.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry speaks to an audience at Louisiana Tech University on Aug. 25, 2025.

Why Louisiana’s Governor Was Involved in the Brian Kelly Firing

Jeff Landry reportedly hosted a meeting at the governor’s mansion Sunday.
Brian Kelly

CFB Firings Tracker: LSU Owes Brian Kelly $53 Million

The sum owed Kelly slightly tops James Franklin’s at Penn State. 

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
Tigers Head Coach Brian Kelly, LSU Tigers take on the Texas A&M Aggies. October 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; at Tiger Stadium. Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.

College Football Coach Buyouts Are Not What They Seem

LSU will likely not have to pay Kelly the $53 million he has left on his contract.
October 26, 2025

Revenue-Sharing Era’s New Powers: Indiana, Georgia Tech, and Vandy

Indiana is the most notable, having ascended to No. 2.
October 26, 2025

LSU Ends Brian Kelly Era, $53M Buyout Negotiations Underway

The Tigers fell to 5–3 after losing to Texas A&M.
Sponsored

Why Alexis Ohanian Is Betting Big on Women’s Sports

Alexis Ohanian reflects on his evolution from Reddit cofounder to one of today’s most dynamic sports investors.
October 26, 2025

Sarkisian, Kiffin Address Rumors As Coaching Carousel Spins Again

Reports are rampant about the coaches taking new jobs.
Azzi Fudd
October 24, 2025

Government Shutdown Moves UConn Season Opener Out of Germany

The shutdown is now on its 24th day.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) celebrates following the game between Vanderbilt University and Louisiana State University at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025
exclusive
October 24, 2025

Diego Pavia Is Trying to Kill NCAA JUCO Eligibility Rules for Good

Vandy’s QB is amending his own lawsuit to encompass all NCAA athletes.
Oct 11, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell after losing the game to the Pittsburgh Panthers at Doak S. Campbell Stadium.
October 23, 2025

CFB’s Chaotic (and Pricey) Coaching Carousel Only Getting Started

Firings have already accounted for roughly $116 million.