Investigations and Enforcement

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On June 25, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California denied the House plaintiffs’ motion to exclude multimedia rights companies (MMRs) and third-party sponsors from the definition of associated entities under the House settlement enforcement.[1] Class counsel filed a motion seeking clarity on the definition of “associated entities or individuals,” arguing:

Following the district court’s approval of the House settlement in 2025, in which Division I schools that opted into the settlement were allowed to directly compensate student-athletes, schools began looking for ways to remain competitive in recruiting and retention. Some have turned to third-party multimedia rights companies (MMRs) to structure NIL opportunities outside the revenue-sharing amount. That strategy has now placed MMRs at the center of a larger enforcement dispute: whether these entities should be treated as “associated entities” subject to heightened review by the College Sports Commission (CSC).

On June 23, 2026, the NCAA Division I Cabinet unanimously approved a historic overhaul of student-athlete eligibility rules, adopting an age-based model that grants student-athletes five full seasons of competition after entering college. The vote marks the most significant structural change to NCAA eligibility rules in decades and resolves — at least formally — a system that had become both legally vulnerable and administratively unworkable.

After being ruled eligible to play for Texas Tech this upcoming season, Brendan Sorsby is forgoing his college career and applying to enter the NFL’s Supplemental Draft. We previously wrote about the Sorsby saga and his reinstatement. However, a week after a judge ruled that Sorsby would be eligible to continue playing football for Texas Tech, the Big 12 filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of Texas[1] seeking a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief to punish Sorsby for sports betting.

On June 8, 2026, District Court of Lubbock County Judge Ken Curry ruled in favor of Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby after the NCAA initially ruled him ineligible to play collegiate football. In granting the temporary injunction, Judge Curry held that Sorsby, who notably entered a gambling rehabilitation facility following the NCAA’s ruling, “has demonstrated he will suffer a probable, imminent, and irreparable injury,” allowing him to continue his college football career after admitting to betting, including on his games.[1]

Last week, the NCAA launched a forensic investigation into the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) football program following public complaints alleging potential tampering involving linebacker Luke Ferrelli. Ferrelli, the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year as a member of the University of California, Berkeley during the 2025 season, entered the transfer portal this offseason, signed a revenue-sharing contract with Clemson, then later reentered the portal and ultimately transferred to Ole Miss.

On April 20, 2026, settlement class counsel for the plaintiffs in House v. NCAA filed a motion seeking to enforce the fourth amended stipulation and settlement agreement, effectively asking the court to rein in the College Sports Commission (CSC).[1]

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 reported that Louisiana State University’s (LSU) athletic director, Verge Ausberry, received an email from the CSC’s head of investigations, Katie B. Medearis, informing the institution that they were under investigation regarding potential failure to report multiple third-party NIL deals.