A major NIL decision has forced the NCAA’s hand.
After another loss in the courtroom, the NCAA has decided to pause investigations regarding NIL collectives backed by boosters and their deals with Division I collegiate athletes.
NCAA President Charlie Baker issued a memo to member schools on Friday addressing the ruling.
This comes one week after a Federal Judge threw the NCAA into chaos with an antitrust suit going against NCAA rules and recruiting inducements.
The letter from Baker, obtained by the Associated Press, was intended “to pause and not begin investigations involving third-party participation in NIL-related activities.”
“There will be no penalty for conduct that occurs consistent with the injunction while the injunction is in place,” Baker wrote in the letter. “I agree with this decision, while the progress toward long-term solutions is underway and while we await discussions with the attorneys general. In circumstances that are less than ideal, this at least gives the membership notice of the board’s direction related to enforcement.”
Former attorney and college athletics administrator Joshua Lens added, “The NCAA is essentially saying we’re not going to do something that’s been deemed illegal.”
Lens later highlighted that Baker didn’t mention Congress in his Friday address.
“That’s fascinating to me because almost all of his statements in the past several months, if not longer, have been kind of this open plea to Congress to get involved,” Lens said. “Now, today, that wasn’t mentioned.”
“There will be no penalty for conduct that occurs consistent with the injunction while the injunction is in place,” Baker wrote in the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press. “I agree with this decision, while the progress toward long-term solutions is underway and while we await discussions with the attorneys general. In circumstances that are less than ideal, this at least gives the membership notice of the board’s direction related to enforcement.”