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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 19/09/2025

Importantly, the court did NOT answer this question, merely finding instead that it needs a full post-discovery administrative record to make a ruling here. But this ruling keeps alive a lawsuit that will clearly have major, major impact on college sports.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 19/09/2025

Poa argued that the manner by which courts are asked by USCIS to interpret "temporarily and solely" is contradictory: permitting dual roles as "student-athletes" for F-1 visas while precluding it for P-1A visas. She argued that's arbitrary and capricious under the APA.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 19/09/2025

So Poa applied for a P-1A visa. She was denied on the basis that P-1A visaholders must be coming to to the US "solely for the purpose of [playing sports]." USCIS regulations hold that student-athletes come for education, not "solely for the purpose of [playing sports]."

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 19/09/2025

The lawsuit is over a post-NIL gap that exists between F-1 (student) and P-1A ("internationally recognized athletes") visas. Student-athletes have traditionally gotten F-1 visas, but F-1 regulations place significant limitations on holders' abilities to make money in the US.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 19/09/2025

Interesting news this morning concerning international college athletes: A Louisiana federal court has **denied** a USCIS motion to dismiss Arizona State basketball player Last-Tear Poa's lawsuit against the agency over the agency denying her petition for a P-1A visa. 🧵

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 03/09/2025

Just updated the "key dates this month" section of the College Sports Litigation Tracker... it's going to be a big month in the college sports law world!

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Jake Kocorowski @jakekoco.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

Had a fantastic time chatting with the one and only @samcehrlich.com about two legal cases involving Badgers football. Check out what he had to say about Nyzier Fourqurean's battle with the NCAA, along with Wisconsin vs. Miami.

badgerobserver.com

Breaking down Wisconsin football legal cases with Sam C. Ehrlich

One of the up-and-coming voices in the nation regarding college sports litigation talks about Nyzier Fourqurean's eligibility case and Wisconsin vs. Miami

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 12/08/2025

The Sixth Circuit has set oral arguments in the NCAA's appeal of the Diego Pavia lawsuit for October 23. Unlike the other eligibility rule appeals (Fourqurean/Elad/Braham), this appeal won't affect Pavia's 2025 playing status. But it'll certainly affect others' moving forward.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 12/08/2025

Here's the full amicus brief: drive.google.com/file/d/1vR0K...

drive.google.com

7-1.pdf

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 12/08/2025

This is a rather significant turn of events, as the first time a state attorney general has weighed in on one of these cases. Though, of course, this particular office has gone after the NCAA in the recent past as a chief litigant in the Ohio lawsuit over transfer rules.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 12/08/2025

The West Virginia attorney general's office has filed a motion to weigh in on the eligibility lawsuit involving four would-be WVU transfers, supporting the athletes' argument that the challenged eligibility rules violate the Sherman Antitrust Act.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 11/08/2025

SFA states they lack enough athletes to field teams and reinstating them would cost $1 million. They take issue with the court's contention that their budget woes are self-inflicted by their choice to opt into the House settlement.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 11/08/2025

These motions are always kind of funny to me because they're essentially "Hey, we know you ruled this way, but you're wrong and you're going to get overturned on appeal so can we get a stay until that happens?"

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 11/08/2025

The Texas AG's office is seeking a stay of the preliminary injunction forcing them to reinstate Stephen F. Austin's women’s beach volleyball, bowling, and golf teams while they appeal the decision to the Fifth Circuit. I'd imagine it's unlikely this gets granted, but we'll see.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 04/08/2025

The complaint is an intriguing read. It goes deeper into developing antitrust theories than others have, outlining "pride of place" (arguing the rules to attend NCAA schools over JUCOs) and essential facilities theories. (We'll see if that matters) drive.google.com/file/d/1ugqM...

drive.google.com

Jimori Robinson v. NCAA - Complaint (8-4-2025).pdf

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 04/08/2025

Of note, this case is filed in the Northern District of West Virginia -- the same court that held the transfer portal "year-in-residence" rule to violate antitrust law. No word yet on whether the same judge (Judge John P. Bailey) will been assigned.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 04/08/2025

We have eligibility rule lawsuit #30. This one involves multiple athlete-plaintiffs, all seeking to play football this fall for West Virginia after transferring there this spring. The plaintiffs are Jimmori Robinson, Jeffrey Weimer, Tye Edwards, and Justin Harrington.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 03/08/2025

Putting my life savings on a Pitt natty this year

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 02/08/2025

Finally got a chance to dig into the SFA Title IX opinion from last night and this note on the balance of hardships preliminary injunction element... seems impactful. Since I'm fairly sure SFA won't be the only one to cut sports citing increased costs due to the House settlement.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 31/07/2025

(Judge Boulware last year rejected a class action settlement of an antitrust case against the UFC, finding that the damages were not high enough to properly compensate the fighter-plaintiffs) www.espn.com/mma/story/_/...

espn.com

Judge denies $335M UFC antitrust settlement

U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware denied a preliminary approval for settlement in the UFC antitrust lawsuit Tuesday.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 31/07/2025

Of note, this case was filed by the same attorneys who secured an injunction for ex-Nevada WR Cortez Braham, Jr., and in the same court (D. Nevada). Different judge (at least for now), but sports law fans may recognize the judge it was assigned to: Judge Richard F. Boulware, II.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 31/07/2025

Eligibility rule lawsuit #29 has been filed. This one is by UNLV DL Tatuo Martinson, who played two years (bookending a cancelled 2020-21 season) at JUCO American River College and three years (including one redshirt year) at UNLV.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 30/07/2025

To be clear, denial of the TRO isn't a be all end all; the preliminary injunction hearing will truly determine whether they can play this year. Diego Pavia's TRO motion was denied too. However, given this judge's (rather terse) opinion on Giles's TRO, maybe a tall hill to climb.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 30/07/2025

A California federal court has denied UCLA transfer Kaedin Robinson's motion for a TRO, but set a hearing on the injunction for August 18. Of note, the judge is also presiding over U San Diego transfer Jagger Giles's case, and also set a hearing in that case for the same day.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 28/07/2025

This is a fascinating case -- and one that threatens to take another brick out of the NCAA's amateurism definitions and eligibility systems. One to watch as it moves towards a potential trial.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 28/07/2025

Here are the now-certified class definitions for the case. Reese Brantmeier and Maya Joint are the class representatives.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 28/07/2025

A federal court in North Carolina has granted the plaintiffs' motion to certify an injunctive and damages class of Division I tennis players in Brantmeier v. NCAA. The lawsuit challenges the NCAA's ban on tennis players receiving prize money from outside competitions.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 28/07/2025

Here's the opinion: drive.google.com/file/d/1RRBb... The court found that the trainers satisfied their duty of care, which was only to refer the players to doctors for diagnosis and defer to those opinions.

drive.google.com

Powell v. Seton Hall - Opinion Granting Motion for Summary Judgment (7-28-2025).pdf

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 28/07/2025

Both Powell and Smith had claimed that the university misdiagnosed serious injuries, allowing them to play on and aggrevate them. Powell says he was told to play on a torn meniscus, tanking his NBA draft stock. Smith says her misdiagnosed knee damage ended her career.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 28/07/2025

A NJ federal district court has granted Seton Hall's motion for summary judgment against former basketball players Myles Powell and Jasmine Smith, dismissing their tort claims against the university. No opinion filed to the docket yet; I'll link it when it pops up.

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Kathryn Tewson @kathryntewson.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Finally, we’re getting some attorneys getting referred for discipline for using ChatGPT for legal research. The attorneys in question, ofc, are counsel for the Alabama Department of Corrections.

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Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Caps require two things to do what they are intended. Must be “hard” and must be enforced. We’ll see on settlement cap. Especially changing enforcement from NCAA to CSC. www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

nytimes.com

CSC, House attorneys end standoff over how collectives are policed: Sources

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 18/07/2025

The court also dismissed Pryor's unjust enrichment claim, also based on the statute of limitations (6 years in Ohio).

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 18/07/2025

The court found that: (1) Ohio State must be dismissed for sovereign immunity; (2) his claims against all four defendants are untimely given the 4-year statute of limitations for antitrust claims. The latter finding largely echoes the Chalmers holding from earlier this year.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 18/07/2025

Ex-Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor's lawsuit against Ohio State, Learfield, the Big Ten, and the NCAA over the purported continued use of his NIL has been denied, with an Ohio federal district court granting the defendants' motions to dismiss.

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ProFootballTalk @profootballtalk.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

First, they buried the ruling in the collusion grievance. Now, @pablotorrefindsout.bsky.social and I have found another grievance ruling that the NFL and NFLPA hid from everyone. And, yes, the two situations seem to be connected. www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootb...

nbcsports.com

NFL, NFLPA concealed another grievance ruling

League, union buried the outcome of the grievance over JC Tretter suggesting that players fake injuries.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 17/07/2025

So Stephen F. Austin U is trying once again to count cheer and dance teams towards Title IX compliance. We're back to that. I mean, good luck.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 15/07/2025

Here's Part II of my deep dive into the flood of eligibility lawsuits against the NCAA for Extra Points. If you're overwhelmed by the now *27* lawsuits, don't worry! We also have wildly different judicial approaches to deciding who gets an extra year. www.extrapointsmb.com/p/guest-post...

extrapointsmb.com

GUEST POST: What's going on with all these eligibility lawsuits? ... Part II

Courts are approaching these lawsuits in largely the same legal framework — but reaching very different outcomes

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Seth Emerson @sethemerson.bsky.social · 15/07/2025

Five different pro Players Associations release a joint statement against the SCORE Act, introduced in the last few days and endorsed (basically) by Greg Sankey today. This would seem to doom the measure as a bipartisan measure at least.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 11/07/2025

Some House settlement clean up: Judge Wilken has granted class counsel's motion for attorneys' fees, costs, and service awards (for the class reps) while denying MoloLamken's motion for an extention to file for their own attorneys' fees for their work as settlement objectors.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 10/07/2025

Thanks so much to @mattbrown.bsky.social and Extra Points for the outlet for my look at the avalanche of eligibility lawsuits. Since my submission was 4983 words, Part I (What are they arguing?) is today with Part II (How are they deciding?) on Tuesday. www.extrapointsmb.com/p/guest-post...

extrapointsmb.com

GUEST POST: What’s Going on with All These Eligibility Lawsuits? Part 1

How we got into this mess and how athlete-plaintiffs are seeking to build on the legal precedent Pavia set.

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Sam C. Ehrlich @samcehrlich.com · 10/07/2025

(I should mention -- anyone interested in more info and analysis on these eligibility rule cases should watch out for tomorrow's Extra Points 👀) (...and also Tuesday's Extra Points 👀👀👀)

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