Just weeks ago, we reported that the College Sports Commission (CSC) would be ramping up investigations into unreported third-party NIL agreements. The CSC has since made good on that promise. On January 30, The Athletic...more
2/4/2026
/ Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Government Investigations ,
Investigations ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sports ,
Student Athletes ,
Third-Party ,
Universities
In this episode of Highway to NIL, Troutman Pepper Locke attorneys Cal Stein and Chris Brolley are joined by 42U CEO and former Division I student-athlete Stephen Bienko to discuss how NIL is reshaping college sports from the...more
After decades of minimal federal activity, the Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act (SPARTA) is drawing renewed attention. A January 2026 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) inquiry into sports agent practices may signal a...more
1/16/2026
/ Consumer Protection Laws ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Investigations ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
Notification Requirements ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
State Attorneys General ,
Student Athletes ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices ,
Universities
On January 8, the College Sports Commission (CSC) issued guidance in direct response to a recent news report from Yahoo Sports that examined college football student-athletes being offered third-party NIL deals that violate...more
1/16/2026
/ College Athletes ,
Contract Terms ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
New Guidance ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sports ,
Student Athletes ,
Third-Party
On January 6, 2025, University of Washington standout quarterback Demond Williams announced that he plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal just four days after reportedly signing a contract with Washington football for the...more
1/9/2026
/ Breach of Contract ,
College Athletes ,
Colleges ,
Contract Disputes ,
Contract Terms ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
Revenue Sharing ,
Sports ,
Student Athletes ,
Universities
The College Sports Commission (CSC) has circulated a 10-page University Participation Agreement that would dramatically reshape NIL and direct-payment enforcement. The biggest shift: schools would waive their right to...more
The College Sports Commission (CSC) has circulated a 10-page University Participation Agreement that would dramatically reshape NIL and direct-payment enforcement. The biggest shift: schools would waive their right to...more
11/26/2025
/ Arbitration ,
Arbitration Agreements ,
College Athletes ,
Dispute Resolution ,
Educational Institutions ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal v State Law Application ,
Membership Agreements ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
Preemption ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Sports ,
State and Local Government ,
State Attorneys General ,
Student Athletes ,
Texas ,
Universities
On November 13, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken, who oversees the House v. NCAA settlement, overruled objections to the Injunctive Relief Settlement (IRS) filed by seven student-athletes. Judge Wilken held a fairness...more
11/21/2025
/ Class Action ,
College Athletes ,
Colleges ,
Due Process ,
Educational Institutions ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
Notice Requirements ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Sports ,
Student Athletes ,
Title IX ,
Universities
In this episode of Highway to NIL, Troutman Pepper Locke attorneys Cal Stein, Chris Brolley, and George Pla look at the post-House settlement landscape, including the revenue-sharing pool that allows schools to pay athletes...more
The NCAA Division I Board of Directors has adopted emergency legislation that allows the College Sports Commission (CSC) to declare Division I student-athletes ineligible for failing to disclose noninstitutional name, image,...more
10/31/2025
/ Bylaws ,
College Athletes ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Investigations ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
New Regulations ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Revenue Sharing ,
Settlement Agreements
On October 8, the College Sports Commission (CSC) launched an anonymous tipline that facilitates the confidential reporting of possible violations related to third-party name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements and revenue...more
10/22/2025
/ College Athletes ,
Colleges ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Revenue ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Sports ,
Student Athletes ,
Third-Party ,
Transparency
In this episode of Highway to NIL, Troutman Pepper Locke attorneys Cal Stein and Chris Brolley discuss the recent Q&A document released by the NCAA and conferences, focusing on the guidance providing clues for how enforcement...more
The newly formed College Sports Commission has named its first two executive leaders as it begins formal operations in the wake of the House v. NCAA settlement. Bryan Seeley will serve as the commission’s inaugural chief...more
A week after the approval of the $2.5 billion class action settlement of House v. NCAA (settlement), the NCAA and defendant conferences (i.e., Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pac-12...more
The wait is over. On June 6, 2025, Judge Claudia Wilken of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California approved the $2.576 billion class action settlement in House v. NCAA....more
6/12/2025
/ Antitrust Litigation ,
Antitrust Violations ,
Appeals ,
College Athletes ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Educational Institutions ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Student Athletes ,
Title IX
A three-page memo distributed to schools provides further clarity regarding Deloitte’s role as the approved clearinghouse for name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, as outlined in the House settlement and guidance documents....more
5/21/2025
/ Colleges ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Educational Institutions ,
Endorsements ,
Enforcement ,
Guidance Documents ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Settlement ,
Student Athletes ,
Universities
On May 7, the parties in House v. NCAA submitted supplemental briefs in response to U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken’s April 23 order requiring both parties to address her concerns over the issue of roster limits. These...more
5/13/2025
/ Class Action ,
College Athletes ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Contract Terms ,
Educational Institutions ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Settlement Negotiations ,
Student Athletes
On April 23, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken temporarily rejected the terms of the settlement in House v. NCAA, effectively issuing an ultimatum to the parties: fix the roster limits issue or risk blowing up the...more
4/25/2025
/ California ,
Class Action ,
College Athletes ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Educational Institutions ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Student Athletes
In this episode of Highway to NIL, Troutman Pepper Locke attorneys Cal Stein and Chris Brolley discuss the recent developments in the House litigation. The episode covers the highlights and concerns raised during the final...more
Recently, Pennsylvania’s Saint Francis University announced its decision to reclassify its intercollegiate athletics program from NCAA Division I to Division III, citing the difficulty in governance associated with college...more
3/28/2025
/ Basketball ,
College Athletes ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Competition ,
Higher Education Act ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
New Legislation ,
Settlement ,
Sports ,
Student Athletes ,
Universities
On March 13, the NCAA issued guidance in the form of a Q&A defining the scope of the eligibility waiver it previously approved on December 23, 2024, for student-athletes who have competed at non-NCAA institutions, such as...more
Chris Brolley, an associate in Troutman Pepper Locke’s Health Care + Life Sciences Industry Group, was quoted in the February 23, 2025 The Daily Princetonian article, “Trump, NCAA Changes Won’t Directly Affect NIL at...more
One major issue underlying the pending House v. NCAA settlement is its impact on international students on F-1 student visas (academic student). As analyzed in a previous episode of Highway to NIL, if approved, the House...more
Twenty-seven days after the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) of the outgoing Biden administration issued long-awaited Title IX guidance relating to name, image, and likeness (NIL) payments by schools and third-party...more
2/27/2025
/ Biden Administration ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Department of Education ,
Educational Institutions ,
Gender Equity ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
OCR ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Student Athletes ,
Title IX ,
Trump Administration
The Highway to NIL Podcast analyzes the legal landscape concerning college athletics and the regulation of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights of student athletes. The podcast provides key insights into the current state...more