New York Attorney General Letitia James and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general have secured a settlement with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) that will expand student athletes’ rights to benefit from the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL).
The agreement follows a lawsuit filed in May 2024 by James and attorneys general from Florida, Tennessee, Virginia and the District of Columbia, which challenged NCAA rules that restricted student athletes from learning about NIL compensation opportunities before committing to a school, according to a press release.
The 2024 lawsuit alleged that these restrictions violated federal antitrust laws and unfairly limited student athletes’ ability to earn money by preventing them from reviewing NIL compensation offers before enrolling in a school.
“Student athletes should have the freedom to decide the course of their athletic careers without restrictions that rig the game against them,” said James. “The NCAA’s NIL rules put student athletes on an unfair playing field, preventing them from knowing about opportunities to get paid before they commit to a school."
A federal judge sided with the attorneys general last year and blocked the NCAA from enforcing its NIL restrictions. The settlement finalizes that ruling and prevents the NCAA from reinstating similar policies. Under the agreement, the NCAA must publicize any proposed NIL-related rule changes on a dedicated public webpage for five years.
The settlement marks a significant shift in NCAA policy, ensuring that student athletes will have greater transparency regarding NIL opportunities throughout the recruiting process.
