NCAA Responds to NIL Rulings in Tennessee and Virginia
Things are changing fast in the NIL space. That statement remained consistent on Friday afternoon, with federal judges ruling in favor of Tennessee and Virginia in their case against the NCAA.
With the judges ruling in favor of Tennessee and Virginia, the NCAA responded to the ruling and expressed its disappointment with the decision.
“Turning upside down rules overwhelmingly supported by member schools will aggravate an already chaotic collegiate environment, further diminishing protections for student-athletes from exploitation,” the statement reads. “The NCAA fully supports student-athletes making money from their name, image, and likeness and is making changes to deliver more benefits to student-athletes, but an endless patchwork of state laws and court opinions make clear partnering with Congress is necessary to provide stability for the future of all college athletes.”
With the ruling, booster-funded NIL collectives in Tennessee and Virginia can now communicate with high school recruits and transfer portal players, giving universities in the states a massive leg up on the competition.
Judge Clifton Corker wrote in his ruling that, “Without the give and take of a free market, student-athletes simply have no knowledge of their true NIL value. It is this suppression of negotiating leverage and the consequential lack of knowledge that harms student-athletes.”
While the final verdict remains in question for a nationwide decision in the NIL sphere, Tennessee and Virginia’s major win could play a part in the NCAA’s eventual undoing.
