Today’s Thursday newsletter includes highlights from this week, important news from the past weeks, and what to watch for.
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Former College Basketball Players Sue the NCAA over NIL Use
Sixteen former men's college basketball players are suing the NCAA, the Big East, the Pac-12, the Big Ten, the Big 12, the SEC, the ACC and Turner Sports Interactive, for the unauthorized use of their name, image and likeness in March Madness highlights.
Mario Chalmers hit a 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left for Kansas to tie Memphis and force overtime in the 2008 national championship game which they eventually won. Chalmers and the other plaintiffs are suing the NCAA and their partners for the continued use of their names, images and likenesses, through highlights such as Chalmers’ three-pointer, in promoting and monetizing March Madness.
Notable plaintiffs include Kansas stars Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins, UConn guard Ryan Boatright, and Arizona guard Jason Terry.
The lawsuit is very similar to the one filed by NC State’s 1983 mens basketball team on June 10th. The team is also suing the NCAA for the unauthorized use of their name, image and likeness.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
Utah State Makes Significant Changes To Their Football Program
Utah State dismissed Head Football Coach Blake Anderson, along with both their Interim Athletic Director and the football team’s Director of Player Development and Community.
The decision came after an investigation of alleged noncompliance with Title IX policies that require full and timely reporting of sexual misconduct, and the prohibition of employees investigating sexual misconduct disclosures themselves.
According to the school, the alleged actions of coach Anderson violated his employment agreement and university policy.
Coach Anderson has hired a lawyer and has 14 days to respond, per his employment agreement.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
Opendorse releases their annual NIL report - LINK
Colorado’s NIL collective to host a College Football 25 launch party - LINK
USA Gymnastics is considering changes to their Men’s Championships - LINK
Cavinder twins sign a three-year deal with Under Armour - LINK
Texas Tech reveals Adidas’ logo as their new on-field sponsor for 2024 - LINK
Big 12 Exploring Both a Monumental Private Equity Investment and an Allstate Naming Rights Deal.
The Big 12 is exploring a cash deal with CVC Capital Partners for as much as $1 billion in exchange for as much as a 20% stake in the league.
As part of the deal, the 16 conference members would receive a portion of the cash investment, and the league would receive access to CVC’s investment services and clients.
The Big 12 is also engaged in discussions with Allstate to sell the naming rights of its conference for a reported $30-50 million annual payout to the conference. Name change possibilities could include Big Allstate Conference or Allstate 12 Conference.
Big 12 leaders are committed to doing everything the can to narrow the revenue gap between themselves and the two top conferences – the SEC and Big Ten.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
Ohio State is one of a handful of schools to announce that they will participate in full revenue sharing as outlined as part of the House settlement. Along with this announcement, they revealed that they will be sharing an equal amount of money with women’s sports as a means to stay in compliance with Title IX. Illinois is taking the same approach, and is going to share revenue equally between their men’s and women’s sports.
However, splitting revenue equally is not exactly a requirement under Title IX. As Mit Winter - an attorney at Kennyhertz Perry that specializes in college sports law - has stated, “current Title IX guidance and authorities do not expressly address the treatment of non-education related payments to athletes. As a result, some believe that the stronger argument under existing guidance is that Title IX does not require proportional distribution of non-educationally related payments to male and female athletes, which includes NIL payments.” Therefore, not every school will opt to split their revenue sharing equally (or at all) amongst their male and female athletes. Given the uncertainty surrounding how Title IX may apply to NIL and/or revenue sharing dollars, schools will take different approaches to how they will divide the money and, as a result, how they will try to compete in today’s evolving landscape.
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