In this episode of Highway to NIL, Troutman Pepper Locke attorney Cal Stein is joined by colleagues Mike Lowe, Philip Nickerson, George Pla, and Derek Centola for a “desk drawer” tour through some of the most consequential recent developments in NIL and college sports. The group unpacks a wave of NIL contract disputes involving high-value athletes, the escalating legal fights over eligibility and the five-year rule, and the emerging governance battles around the College Sports Commission’s (CSC) participation agreement.
Key Topics Include:
- The rise of school-athlete NIL/revenue-sharing contracts post-House settlement (4:01)
- Contract disputes and tampering allegations (5:38)
- Why injunctive relief over NIL rights may be more important than chasing damages (9:20)
- The Diego Pavia JUCO litigation, the expanding plaintiff group, and how the five-year rule is being challenged under antitrust theories (12:18)
- Trinidad Chambliss, Puff Johnson, and contract-law challenges to eligibility limits (18:21)
- The CSC participation agreement and governance battles (24:08)