• Loading stock data...
Sunday, February 15, 2026

Pivotal Moment for Three Cases Over NCAA Athlete Compensation

  • The NCAA is fighting to preserve amateurism in multiple arenas, from the courts to Congress.
  • It is in the midst of a pivotal two-week stretch for at least three major cases over athlete compensation and employment status.
The NCAA is facing a pivotal moment in three court cases over amateurism.
Charlie Nye/Indianapolis Star

College basketball season tipped off on Monday, with teams across the country going head to head. 

But the NCAA is facing several, much bigger battles off the hardwood: court cases over athlete employment status and compensation rules. 

The NCAA is fighting to preserve amateurism in multiple arenas, from the courts to Congress — where it is trying to get a law passed to stop these cases. But so far, it’s been unsuccessful.

As a result, it is in the midst of a pivotal stretch for at least three major cases over athlete compensation and employment status.

House v. NCAA

On Nov. 3, Judge Claudia Wilken issued a much-anticipated ruling in the federal antitrust case House v. NCAA, granting three proposed classes.

The decision puts the NCAA on the hook for more than $4 billion in combined damages for the proposed classes, according to previous court documents. 

The federal antitrust lawsuit, filed in 2020 in California, is seeking damages for athletes who didn’t benefit from NIL rules because they played before the NCAA enacted them. 

It’s also arguing that the definition of NIL should be much more broad: Broadcast deals, game promotions, and school apparel contracts would be considered part of NIL because athletes are featured in them. 

The classes include:

  • Any Division I athlete who has currently benefited from NIL deals, but who also played before rules were changed on July 1, 2021 and therefore lost out on potential NIL revenue.
  • Any Power 5 scholarship men’s basketball or football player that played after June 15, 2016 who could have made money from broadcast contracts or video games portraying their likenesses.
  • Any Power 5 scholarship women’s basketball player who played after June 15, 2016 who could have made money from broadcast contracts portraying their likenesses.

The case isn’t set to go to trial until 2025. The ultimate ruling could force the NCAA to change its compensation rules to allow for revenue sharing between athletes and athletic departments — and even go bankrupt.

NLRB Case Against USC, Pac-12, and NCAA

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles region of the NLRB will begin virtual pre-trial hearings for a case first filed in 2022 by an athlete advocacy group called the National College Players Association against USC, the Pac-12, and NCAA. The case is an “unfair labor charge” over the misclassification of athletes.”

While official in-person hearings won’t begin until December, USC’s lawyers have said in court documents that they intend to get the case dismissed during pre-trial hearings. (USC filed a formal motion to dismiss, but the NLRB responded saying it would ignore the motion because it was filed after the requisite deadline.)

If the NCPA wins, all Division I basketball and FBS football players would have to be reclassified as employees. 

It’s unclear how long the case would take to be settled, given that either side would likely appeal after the trial ends in February. But NLRB general counsel Jennifer Abruzzo signaled her support for athletes’ side in a 2021 memo.

The NLRB could even claim public school athletes are subject to its ruling even though it only has jurisdiction over the private sector. That’s because of the “joint-employer doctrine,” which suggests that multiple organizations can be employers of the same group of people at the same time. 

If all conferences and the NCAA have similar relationships to their football and basketball players, the rule could apply. The NLRB recently issued a new definition for its joint-employer doctrine, which could bode well for athletes in this case. 

Matt Bewley et al v. NCAA

On Nov. 1, twin recruits of the Chicago State men’s basketball team, Matt and Ryan Bewley, filed a lawsuit in Illinois federal court last week against the NCAA over their denied eligibility after having played for Overtime Elite.

A hearing is set for Nov. 14 to get a temporary restraining order prohibiting the NCAA from keeping them on the bench. 

In 2020, the sports media company Overtime established a men’s high school professional basketball team called Overtime Elite, which allowed players aged 16-18 to play as well as receive schooling, the ability to profit off NIL deals, and a salary. It also offered players who wanted to play NCAA basketball the option to receive scholarships, rather than salaries. 

The NCAA, however, denied their eligibility despite Overtime’s careful attempt at keeping them within NCAA amateurism rules. 

The NCAA’s decision was based on three factors, according to court documents: Players received compensation that “exceeded actual and necessary expenses,” they played on a team that was considered professional, and they played against athletes who considered them professionals. (Court documents noted that other athletes who had played on Overtime Elite have been granted eligibility to play NCAA basketball.)

The case suggests that even if athletes did somehow accidentally violate NCAA eligibility rules, those rules themselves violate antitrust law. Illinois state senator Kam Buckner put out a statement on Monday suggesting the NCAA’s treatment of the Bewley brothers is also in conflict with Illinois’ state NIL law.

The case could ultimately force the NCAA to change those rules altogether, in addition to granting the twins eligibility.

Other Cases Moving Slowly

Two other cases could also force the NCAA to recognize athletes as employees. 

A case in Pennsylvania federal court, Johnson v. NCAA, is awaiting an interim ruling. A unionization petition filed by Dartmouth men’s basketball players with the local NLRB is also awaiting a ruling after a hearing last month.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Sep 16, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Sacramento State Hornets running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver (25) celebrates after a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium

Sacramento State Will Pay $20M+ to Join MAC in FBS

The Hornets have been pushing hard for an FBS invitation.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss returns to his seat after testifying during the hearing in his lawsuit against the NCAA at Calhoun County Courthouse in Pittsboro, Miss., on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. Chambliss is looking for a temporary injunction and a permanent injunction against the NCAA for one more year of eligibility.

Mississippi Judge Rules Trinidad Chambliss Can Play Another Year at Ole Miss

It’s the latest result in a flood of NCAA eligibility lawsuits.
exclusive

YouTube Pirating of Netflix’s Sports Podcasts Has Already Begun

A channel got 100k+ views reposting content from The Volume’s football show.
Feb 7, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack JROTC does the National Anthem before dribbles the first half of the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lenovo Center.

NCAA Refuses Settlement Talks in Athlete Employment Lawsuit

The NCAA and defendant schools have tried several times to get the case thrown out.

Featured Today

Feb 11, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Jaelin Kauf of the United States during freestyle skiing women's moguls final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park

The Surprise Hit of the Winter Olympics: First-Person Drone Views

Tiny drone cameras have reshaped the Olympics viewing experience.
Feb 11, 2026; Milan, Italy; Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena.
February 13, 2026

Olympic Figure Skaters Pay Out of Pocket for $9,000 Costumes

For four minutes on ice, stakes are high—and prices even higher.
February 11, 2026

Epstein Emails Show His F1 Ties Ran Deep

The sex trafficker’s circles included many of the biggest names in F1.
February 6, 2026

Milan’s Olympic Village Is Built for Performance—and Partying

Making Milan’s Olympic Village was a five-year sprint.

Kansas Says ‘No Inside Information’ After Odd Darryn Peterson Scratch

Kansas knocked off No. 1 Arizona without Peterson on Monday.
February 9, 2026

Judge Rules Against Charles Bediako, Leaving Ex-Pro Ineligible Again

Bediako played five games for Alabama this year.
Oct 9, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Pittsburgh head coach Tory Verdi during ACC Media Days at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown.
February 10, 2026

Former Players Sue Pitt, Women’s Basketball Coach, Alleging Abuse

Six individual suits allege a pattern of “emotional and psychological abuse.”
Sponsored

Olympic Hockey Betting Preview: USA and Canada Take Center Ice

Olympic hockey betting odds shift as USA and Canada dominate early action, per BetMGM’s 2026 Winter Games preview.
Dec 20, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; The mascot of the Nebraska Cornhuskers performs during a break in the game against the Queens Royals in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
exclusive
February 9, 2026

Nebraska Is Second Known School With Athletes Investigated Over NIL Deals

The CSC has launched several inquiries into potential NIL rules violations.
North Dakota State Bison wide receiver Jackson Williams (18) gets tackled on the sideline while playing against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota.
February 9, 2026

North Dakota State to Join Mountain West As Football Member in 2026

The Bison have finalized a deal to jump to the FBS level.
Oct 4, 2025; Tempe, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions forward Gavin McKenna (72) warms up before the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mullett Arena.
February 6, 2026

Penn State Hockey Star Gavin McKenna Dodges Felony Assault Charge

The top 2026 NHL draft prospect was charged earlier this week.
Jan 24, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama center Charles Bediako (14) warms up before the SEC basketball game against Tennessee at Coleman Coliseum. Bediako was reinstated to play college basketball after winning a legal battle.
February 6, 2026

Even With Bediako Win, a New Precedent Could Still Be Far Off

“If he wins, it’s not a decision that other state courts would be bound to follow.”