Lawsuit Challenges NCAA And Conference NIL Restrictions As Antitrust Violations

On June 9, 2026, Talanoa Ili and Charlie Mirer, college football players at the University of Southern California and Stanford University, respectively, filed a class action lawsuit in the Northern District of California, challenging the landmark House settlement, which was approved last June. The complaint names as defendants the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), major college athletic conferences, and the College Sports Commission (CSC), among others, and alleges violation of state and federal antitrust laws in the implementation of new NCAA rules that restrict name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights.

In 2020, the plaintiffs in House claimed that the NCAA and major conferences committed antitrust violations by banning NIL payments, limiting scholarship numbers, and prohibiting athletes from sharing in the billions of dollars generated by broadcast and media rights for college sports. The parties negotiated an injunctive relief settlement that included rules