>NCAA Litigation
Date Filed: May 19, 2004
Court: U.S. District Court
Location: Washington

Hagens Berman has filed a suit on behalf of all college football walk-on players who did not receive scholarships as a result of the NCAA's restrictions limiting the number of scholarships that participating institutions can offer.

The suit alleges that the NCAA utilizes cartel-like practices and exercises a monopoly over Division I-A college football, allowing it to enforce unfair restraints that prevent thousands of deserving student-athletes from receiving full grants-in-aid.

The average number of football players on a Division I-A roster is 117, while the number of scholarships available is 85. According to the suit, the NCAA has reduced the number of scholarships a school can offer as a way to reduce expenses and maximize the profitability of programs.

Statistics detailing the costs and expenditures of participating Division I-A schools show that the projected cost for an additional 32 scholarships is very small compared to the amount of excess revenue generated by Division I-A football. While scholarships for all roster players would cost an estimated $600,000 per school, the average Division I-A football team earns nearly $5 million in excess revenue.

The complaint goes on to describe the extravagant expenditures that many Division I-A colleges voluntarily incur, at the expense of exploiting hardworking athletes.

Successful Division I-A schools depend on walk-ons for their contributions, yet are unwilling to give them the scholarships they deserve, the suit alleges. Walk-ons practice just as long as their scholarship-sponsored counterparts, putting in an average of 20 practice hours a week, in addition to devoting more time to weight lifting, and game film and scout book review, according to the suit.

If granted class certification, the suit will represent all players not receiving scholarships who were on football rosters of NCAA Division I-A schools during the past four years.

The suit seeks an end to the NCAA's rule on the number of scholarships awarded in Division I-A football, and damages for football walk-ons who were harmed by this policy.

Recent Updates

September 14, 2005 - The court has denied the NCAA's motion to dismiss and ruled that the case will go to trial. In the ruling, Judge Coughenour found that the Plaintiffs alleged sufficient facts that the NCAA has a monopoly power over college football and should have the opportunity to demonstrate that this monopoly caused antitrust injury. Click here to read the ruling.