# @thehiddenopponent on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/C1A5mZgMkQX
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/21563824-thehiddenopponent-instagram
- **Posted:** 2023-12-19T00:16:16.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** The Hidden Opponent ©️ (@thehiddenopponent) — https://gondola.cc/thehiddenopponent

## Caption

In NCAA v. Alston, the Supreme Court unanimously agreed that the NCAA is exploiting athletes. Here’s a breakdown:

Division 1 NCAA programs (particularly college football and basketball programs) generate a lot of money for schools. Because these schools make millions of dollars off of the performance of their athletes, the NCAA has rules to limit compensation for athletes. The NCAA seeks to keep student-athletes “amateur” and not pay them, regardless of how much money they make for their schools. They’ve faced several legal challenges over this, one of which being NCAA v. Alston. 

In NCAA v. Alston, lower courts ruled against the NCAA, stating that their restrictions against “non-cash education-related benefits” violated antitrust law under the Sherman Act. (For context, O’Bannon v. NCAA (2014) forced the NCAA to allow D1 athletes to be able to obtain full-ride scholarships. This case is saying that athletes should be able to obtain education-related benefits beyond those scholarships, like laptops or other items, as a way of compensating athletes). 

The NCAA appealed the decision up to the Supreme court, arguing that the decision created a new definition of items that could be “related to education” which could be abused by colleges and sponsors to create a “pay for play” system. 

The Supreme Court issued its decision on June 21, 2021. The decision was unanimous, affirming previous rulings against the NCAA. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote a concurring opinion, stating that antitrust laws “should not be a cover for exploitation of the student athletes.” Kavanaugh’s opinion also spoke to other NCAA regulations that he believed “also raise serious questions under the antitrust laws” and would be struck down if challenged under the same legal principles used by the lower courts in Alston.

In sum: ouch. Every Supreme Court Justice agreed that NCAA rules are exploiting athletes under anti-trust laws, and the opinion of Justice Kavanaugh particularly expressed that many other NCAA rules are also illegal. 

What do you think about this case? Tell us in the comments below! 

#thehiddenopponent #collegesports #collegefootball #ncaa #alston #collegebasketball #nil

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## Tags

ncaa, nil, collegefootball, collegebasketball, collegesports, alston, thehiddenopponent

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