NCAA Opposes Tennessee and Virginia's NIL Lawsuit, Citing Potential Chaos and Legal Precedents

The NCAA's legal response emphasizes preserving amateurism and warns against the risks of professionalization in college sports.

The NCAA filed a 25-page brief in a Tennessee federal court opposing a motion for a temporary restraining order against rules barring NIL deals as inducements for college recruitment.
Tennessee and Virginia's lawsuit challenges NCAA rules on NIL, arguing they restrict athletes' ability to profit and suppress free movement of labor in college sports.
The NCAA warns that lifting pay-for-play rules could expose recruits to coercive contracts and overwhelm them with solicitations, inviting chaos into college sports.
The association draws from a federal class action in California, suggesting the plaintiffs' demands are not new and have been scrutinized since 2020.
A hearing is set for February 13, where both sides will argue over the potential preliminary injunction, with the NCAA emphasizing the need to preserve the status quo.