Tennessee Attorney General Announces Antitrust Lawsuit Against NCAA Over NIL Investigation

Ahmad Austin Jr.Jan 31st, 2024, 2:14 pm
 
Tennessee Volunteers football helmet

Kevin Langley/AP

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti on Wednesday announced the state has filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA for “anticompetitive restrictions” regarding its NIL policy.

The lawsuit comes just days after the NCAA announced it was investigating the University of Tennessee for alleged name, image, and likeness (NIL) violations. University Chancellor Donde Plowman denied any wrongdoing and called the NCAA “morally wrong” and “intellectually dishonest” for the investigation in a scathing letter to the college sports governing body.

Now, the state is accusing the NCAA of violating the Sherman Act.

“Student-athletes are entitled to rules that are clear and rules that are fair,” Skrmetti said in a statement. “College sports wouldn’t exist without college athletes, and those students shouldn’t be left behind while everybody else involved prospers. The NCAA’s restraints on prospective students’ ability to meaningfully negotiate NIL deals violate federal antitrust law. Only Congress has the power to impose such limits.”

In Plowman’s letter, she claimed members of NCAA’s enforcement staff notified her of the allegations against the university. Plowman said the allegations were “factually untrue” and “procedurally flawed.” She also accused the NCAA of sending “vague and contradictory” memos over the last two years since it began allowing student-athletes to profit from their likeness.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee commended Plowman for her stance.

“The University of Tennessee has been nothing but forthcoming with the NCAA,” Lee said Wednesday, “and I thank Chancellor Donde Plowman for taking a stand on behalf of all universities and athletes. It’s time for the NCAA to establish clear rules in the interest of student athletes, rather than try to retroactively enforce ever-changing name, image and likeness guidance.”

—

Tags: