Eight Female Athletes Challenge NCAA Antitrust Settlement: A Fight for Fairness in College Sports
In a significant legal move, eight female college athletes have filed an appeal against the recent antitrust settlement between the House and the NCAA. This appeal comes after U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken approved a settlement that allows universities to make direct payments to athletes. The athletes, representing soccer, volleyball, and track and field, argue that the settlement does not ensure equitable distribution of funds, particularly for women’s sports.
Leading the appeal are Kacie Breeding from Vanderbilt, along with Lexi Drumm, Emma Appleman, Emmie Wannemacher, Riley Haas, Savannah Baron, Elizabeth Arnold from the College of Charleston, and Kate Johnson from Virginia. Each of these athletes had previously voiced their objections to the proposed settlement.
Ashlyn Hare, one of the attorneys representing the athletes, stated that the settlement undermines Title IX, a federal law aimed at preventing sex-based discrimination in education. "While we support a settlement, it must not violate federal law. The calculation of past damages is flawed, ignoring Title IX and denying female athletes a rightful $1.1 billion," Hare emphasized. "Distributing funds as currently proposed could lead to irreparable harm to women’s sports."
The House settlement is expected to primarily benefit male athletes in high-revenue sports like football and basketball, who stand to gain significantly from the $20.5 million per year that colleges are allowed to share with athletes. However, athletes in less profitable sports may face challenges, including the potential loss of partial scholarships or roster spots.
"This settlement primarily serves football and basketball players, offering little to no advantage for female athletes," Hare added. "Congress has explicitly rejected attempts to exempt revenue-generating sports from Title IX’s nondiscrimination principles, and the NCAA has agreed. Our appeal echoes the arguments previously made by the conferences and the NCAA before this settlement was reached."
The appeal has been filed by the law firm Hutchinson Black and Cook based in Boulder, Colorado, and will be considered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
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About the Author: Jackson Thompson is a dedicated sports writer for Fox News Digital, with a background at ESPN and Business Insider. He has reported on major events like the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, interviewing sports legends such as Usain Bolt and Rob Gronkowski.
