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- The First Whistle: A New NCAA Lawsuit
The First Whistle: A New NCAA Lawsuit
Another lawsuit against the NCAA! Who could've possibly seen this one coming!
Hi ,
Only one week in and it’s already madness, but that’s the beauty of college football right?!
NIL and transfer portal controversy, overinflated expectations followed by disappointing performances, and another NCAA lawsuit!
Read more bellow and scroll to the bottom for Week 1’s winners and losers!
— Avery Glover
Current Offerings:
The most expensive roster year in college football history
College football rosters have reached unprecedented costs this season, with programs like Ohio State and Texas reportedly spending up to $40 million each. The inflation is driven by the House v. NCAA settlement and a rush of front-loaded NIL deals. The settlement introduced revenue sharing, requiring Division I schools to allocate up to $20.5 million across athletics, and implemented NIL Go, a clearinghouse to scrutinize future deals over $600. However, schools exploited a loophole allowing pre-settlement deals to bypass oversight, fueling inflated player valuations and aggressive spending. Collectives raised massive funds, and athletic departments hired general managers to manage contracts, cementing an era of high-cost rosters that industry leaders say is unlikely to slow down. |
Athletes, led by Vanderbilt LB Langston Patterson, file lawsuit challenging 'redshirt rule' to permit five full years of eligibility
A new class-action lawsuit led by Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson challenges the NCAA’s “redshirt rule,” which currently limits athletes to four seasons of competition over five years. The suit, co-led by attorney Ryan Downton, argues that this framework unfairly restricts athletes’ careers, limits mobility, and restrains the market for their services. The plaintiffs seek a blanket five years of competitive eligibility for all players, claiming the overlapping eligibility rules act as anticompetitive measures that penalize athletes who choose to play rather than redshirt, ultimately reducing their opportunities and market value without valid justification. |
State of Connecticut submits bid for minority ownership of Sun
The state of Connecticut has submitted a proposal to acquire minority ownership of the Connecticut Sun, aiming to keep the WNBA team in-state and avoid a relocation fee. The plan would split home games between the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville and the larger PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, while also building a new practice facility for the team. This offer comes amid competing $325 million bids from Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca, who would move the team to Boston, and former Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, who proposed relocating the franchise to Hartford full-time. The WNBA and Sun ownership, currently held by the Mohegan Tribe, are set to meet next week to discuss options.
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Sources: NCAA moves one step closer to a single transfer portal window for college football
The NCAA’s Football Oversight Committee has recommended replacing the current two transfer portal windows with a single 10-day period starting Jan. 2 following the 2025 season, pending approval by the Division I Administrative Committee by Oct. 1. The proposal would eliminate the December and April windows, make December a recruiting dead period, and align the portal timeline so most bowl games are completed before players can transfer. This would address roster disruptions seen in recent years. The change could also encourage schools to restore traditional spring football games by removing the spring transfer period.
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Koch family agrees to pay more than $1 billion for 10 percent of Giants
The New York Giants have agreed to sell a 10% stake in the franchise to Julia Koch and her family in a deal valuing the team at over $10 billion, setting a record for the highest sports franchise valuation. The Kochs will pay more than $1 billion for the stake, which will shift ownership to 45% each for the Mara and Tisch families, with 10% for the Koch family, though the deal does not provide a path to control. The agreement, pending approval by NFL owners, follows the Koch family’s recent $1 billion investment in the parent company of the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, and Barclays Center. 💰️ Read full NBC Sports article here |
Sentiment survey, high school disclosures & compliance mailbag
The latest edition of the NIL Blitz highlights the start of football season, ongoing NIL Go discussions, and the NIL 25 spotlight on Brad Larrondo, CEO/GM of Every True Tiger Brands at Missouri. The report notes that college football players are projected to earn $1.9 billion this season, with SEC defensive players paid proportionally more than other conferences, and nearly half of NIL deals still go unreported. High school NIL disclosures remain inconsistent, raising questions about compliance if reporting becomes mandatory. Larrondo, a pioneer of the “Mizzou Model,” emphasizes maximizing resources for student-athletes while building connections through strategic NIL activations, such as Tiger-branded products, and navigating the evolving, often unpredictable landscape created by the House v. NCAA settlement. |
Start 2/Bench 2
⬆️ Lee Corso. Lee Corso signed off from his final ESPN’s College GameDay show with a perfect slate. Every team he picked to win, including Florida State’s stunning upset of No. 8 Alabama, came out on top, and all three schools he once coached also won their openers. - Ryan Young |