NCAA, state attorneys general jointly request an extended hold on enforcement of transfer rule until end of academic year
| Dec. 15, 2023 (DENVER) – Seeking to clarify uncertainty for Division I student athletes, coaches and schools, Attorney General Phil Weiser and six other state attorneys general and the National Collegiate Athletic Association are jointly asking a federal judge to extend his order prohibiting the NCAA from enforcing its Transfer Eligibility Rule until at least the end of this academic year.
An extension would allow athletes who have been sidelined by the rule to compete continuously through the winter and springs sports seasons without having to worry about their status, including redshirt eligibility, with the NCAA. “It is important that student athletes enjoy the freedom to pursue economic opportunities fairly and without unjustified restrictions. Today’s agreement on interim relief provides student athletes with that freedom until we are able to litigate the issue at trial or reach a final agreement on what restrictions are justified under the antitrust laws,” Weiser said. “I will continue to defend the rights of student athletes as well as enable Colorado universities to recruit the best possible players for their teams.” Seven states, including Colorado, are challenging the Transfer Eligibility Rule as part of an antitrust lawsuit filed recently in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. The rule requires Division I athletes who transfer a second time to wait one year to compete. On Wednesday, Judge John Preston Bailey granted the states a temporary restraining order forbidding the NCAA from enforcing the rule for 14 days and scheduled a hearing for Dec. 27 to decide whether that prohibition should continue until the case is decided. If the judge grants the joint motion filed today, the Dec. 27 hearing would be unnecessary, and a trial date could be set for after the spring sports season ends. Other states that joined the lawsuit are Ohio, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. ### Media Contact: |