FEBRUARY 5, 2026
composed by STEVE ULRICH
No publication covers NCAA Division III better. #whyD3
📖 In Today’s Playbook. The Next Game-Changing NCAA Case Seeks Athlete Employment. Swimming and Diving Conference Championships Primer. State Representatives Introduce Bill to End High School NIL Deals in Ohio.
🎶 Your Morning Pick Me Up. Workin For A Livin. Huey Lewis and the News
🗓 What’s Happening Today. The Management Council meets virtually today for a post-convention meeting.
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Top Story
1. The Next Game-Changing NCAA Case Seeks Athlete Employment
“There’s been no shortage of major developments in the compensation of college athletes in the 2020s - from NIL to collectives to the transfer portal to revenue-sharing - yet college athletes still lack employment status.
That dynamic was noticeable in recent legal skirmishes, including Duke suing quarterback Darian Mensah in a case that resembled enforcement of a noncompete agreement, and ostensible NIL and revenue-sharing deals being used to recruit and retain athletes as if they were pro free-agent contracts.
An ongoing federal case could change all of that. Johnson v. NCAA, which began in 2019, could lead to a new order in college sports that restates the economic relationship between athletes and their schools.”
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