Partner Carl Hittinger, the Antitrust and Competition team leader, and Associate Jeanne-Michele Mariani authored an article published in the March 29, 2019, issue of The Legal Intelligencer. The article, “The NCAA, Which Is Tied to Education, May Be a Necessary Monopoly,” discusses a recent successful challenge made to the NCAA’s governing policies on antitrust grounds. That ruling, now on appeal, upheld the plaintiffs’ argument that the NCAA has a monopoly on the college athletic market and has misused it.
Hittinger and Mariani discuss the potential inequities of permitting player compensation and some of the scenarios that could arise and conclude: “The verdict is still out as to whether a drastic change is necessary or even better, but if the status quo of at least the operation of [Division 1] sports is optimal, then it may be that the NCAA’s monopoly presence remains necessary.”