The ongoing legal dispute over whether student-athletes should be paid by the NCAA has now reached the highest court in the United States. The US Supreme Court has agreed to examine a previous ruling issued in May on this matter.
The ruling that is under scrutiny was handed down by a three-judge panel from the ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals. It upheld a lower court’s decision that blocked the NCAA from restricting the education-related benefits and compensation available to student-athletes participating in Division I football and basketball programs. A decision from the Supreme Court is expected by June 2021.
The NCAA argues that by allowing student-athletes greater financial freedoms, the ruling has started to blur the traditional distinctions between amateur and professional athletes.
In August, Justice Elena Kagan denied a request from the NCAA to halt a series of lower court decisions that favored student-athletes while the NCAA sought Supreme Court intervention.
The NCAA is navigating a changing landscape as it moves toward permitting athletes to profit from their names, images, and likenesses. Once these new regulations are in place, athletes will have the opportunity to secure sponsorships. Currently, NCAA student-athletes do not receive compensation for their athletic performances.
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