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 settlement will allow Division I schools to directly compensate their student-athletes for their name, image, and likeness (NIL) as part of a revenue-sharing system. However, international students may jeopardize their status within the U.S. if they accept this money.
Legal Cases and Settlements
Ivy League Opts Out of House Settlement
At the end of January, the Ivy League, a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I conference, announced that it is opting out of the settlement reached in House v. NCAA. The settlement, which was reached as a result of negotiations among current and former student-athletes, the Autonomous Five conferences (the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and Southeastern Conference), and the NCAA, proposes a $2.8 billion resolution of claims against the conferences and NCAA that they unlawfully prevented student-athletes from receiving a share of various revenue streams associated with their athletic participation.
Former Last Chance U Athletes Sue School, Netflix Over Alleged NIL Violations
Six former East Mississippi Community College football players who appeared in the documentary series Last Chance U have sued the school, Netflix, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), and the documentary’s executive director in Los Angeles County Superior Court over their portrayal of the athletes. Plaintiffs John Franklin III, Ronald Ollie, C.J. Reavis, Deandre Johnson, Tim Bonner, and Isaiah Wright, all of whom played football at East Mississippi Community College in 2015 and 2016, allege the defendants wrongfully misappropriated their likeness and that they were not compensated for their work. In total, the plaintiffs are seeking $30 million in damages.