• D3Playbook
  • Posts
  • Volunteer Coaches Antitrust Case Moves Forward

Volunteer Coaches Antitrust Case Moves Forward

The NCAA must face a pair of class actions that claim curbs on compensation for thousands of volunteer coaches violated federal antitrust law.

Author

Steve Ulrich
July 31, 2023

JULY 31, 2023 | written by STEVE ULRICH

Everything you need to know about NCAA Division III, delivered to your inbox
Send tips to [email protected] and via DM.

» 👋 Goodbye July. Welcome back coaches.

» What’s Happening: DIII Administrative Committee (Mon.); Board of Governors (Mon-Tues.); DIII Presidents Council (Wed.)

TOP STORY
1. Volunteer Coaches Antitrust Case Moves Forward

by Mike Scarcella, Reuters

“A U.S. judge on Thursday said the governing body for American intercollegiate sports must face a pair of class actions in California that claim curbs on compensation for thousands of volunteer coaches violated federal antitrust law.

In a court ruling, U.S. District Judge William Shubb in Sacramento rejected the effort by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to dismiss the two related cases.

Shubb also refused the NCAA's request to move the lawsuits to a federal court in the organization's home state of Indiana.”

» Situational Awareness: “The lawsuits were filed in November and March in federal court by two prospective classes of volunteer coaches in baseball and in other sports — including soccer, swimming and track and field — between 2019 and 2023. Each case seeks damages of more than $5 million.”

» Counterpoint: “Lawyers for the NCAA in a filing called the plaintiffs' claims in the two cases conclusory and lacking any facts to show their teams would have hired them as a paid assistant.”

» What They’re Saying: "It is not implausible that plaintiffs would have been paid a salary above $0 but for the NCAA's adoption of the bylaw." - Shubb.

CONFERENCES
2. Conference Stability, Part 6

Today, we continue our multi-part series on DIII conferences - when they were founded, who were the charter members, and what additions or defections they have seen since their inception.

Southern Athletic Association. The SAA was formed in 2011 by seven former members of the SCAC and one independent - Berry, Birmingham-Southern, Centre, Hendrix, Millsaps, Oglethorpe, Rhodes and Sewanee.

Added to Core: Trinity, TX (2025), Southwestern (2025). Come and Gone: none.

Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The SCIAC was formed in 1915 with five institutions - Caltech (left 1934, returned 1935), Occidental, Pomona (left 1934, returned 1935), Redlands and Whittier (left 1943, returned 1946).

Added to Core: La Verne (1926-38, 1971-present), Claremont-Mudd (1958), Pitzer (1971), Scripps (1976), Cal Lutheran (1991), Chapman (2011).

Come and Gone: UCLA (1920-27), San Diego State (1926-39), UC Santa Barbara (1931), Pomona-Claremont (1947-57),

Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The SCAC was founded and began operation on September 1, 1962, as the College Athletic Conference (CAC) with Centre (left 2012), Rhodes (left 2012), Sewanee (left 2012), and Washington and Lee (left 1973). Washington U. (left 1972) also joined later in 1962. The Conference was renamed effective for the 1991-92 academic year.

Added to Core: Austin (2006), Colorado College (2006), U. of Dallas (2011), Centenary (2013), Schreiner (2013), Texas Lutheran (2013), St. Thomas (2019), McMurry (2024), Concordia TX (2024), Ozarks (2024).

Come and Gone: Principia (1974-84), Rose-Hulman (1974-89, 1998-2006), Illinois College (1980-83), Fisk (1983-94), Earlham (1984-89), Millsaps (1989-2012), Trinity TX (1989-2025), Oglethorpe (1990-2012), Hendrix (1991-2012), Southwestern (1994-2025), DePauw (1998-2011), Birmingham-Southern (2007-12), Johnson & Wales, Denver (2018-20)

State University of New York Athletic Conference. The SUNYAC was founded in 1958 as the New York State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NYSIAC). Charter members included U. of Albany (left 1995), Brockport, Buffalo State, Cortland, New Paltz, Oneonta, Oswego, Plattsburgh, and Potsdam. The name was changed to SUNYAC in 1963.

Added to Core: Geneseo (1959), Fredonia (1959). Come and Gone: Binghamton (1973-97), U. of Buffalo (1978-88), SUNY Poly (1991-2008), Morrisville (2007-09).

A MESSAGE FROM COOK UNITY

Award-Winning Chefs. Hundreds of Meals delivered to you.

We’re CookUnity, a chef collective. We envision a world in which chefs are no longer bound by the economic and geographic limitations of the current restaurant model. One where culinary artists can reach beyond the neighborhood, and share their craft with millions of people.

We are building the first-ever marketplace through which millions of busy, everyday folks will discover, experience, and celebrate the absolute best food the world has to offer whenever they like.

There are food delivery services, there are meal kit subscriptions, there are heat-and-serve fridge-fillers. But until now, no one has (responsibly) packaged the ingenuity and hard-earned technique of the industry’s leading culinary talent, and delivered the incredible results to kitchen tables far and wide.

ENROLLMENT
3. Legacy Admissions Take Center Stage

Carnegie Mellon University

by Sarah Kessler, Bernhard Warner and Ephrat Livni, New York Times

“If colleges do away with legacy admissions, will it cost them financially? That’s the big question being whispered among university provosts and trustees across the country as the practice of giving children of alumni an edge in admissions comes under fire and there is increasing pressure to end it.

Just this week, a study showed that children of alumni who applied to top schools were on average four times as likely to be admitted as applicants with the same test scores.”

» Why It Matters: “Many elite schools say legacy admissions are important for maintaining relationships with alumni, which can help universities raise money that is then available for financial aid to needy students.”

» The Big Picture: “Wesleyan University, a liberal arts college in Connecticut, announced two weeks ago that it was ending legacy admissions. Other schools, including Amherst, Johns Hopkins, and Carnegie Mellon, have also dropped programs that favor alumni. However, many have not — at least not yet.”

» What They’re Saying: “No fund-raising shop is going to have to make up half of their gift revenue if there’s a change in the admission office about legacy admissions,” said Mickey Munley, a fund-raising consultant for schools and a former vice president of alumni relations at a private liberal arts college in Iowa. “It’s overplayed.”

TRANSACTIONS
4. Comings and Goings

1 THING
5. That’s A Sandwich

📬 Thanks for starting your day with us.
What did you think of today's newsletter?
 Please invite your friends to sign up for D3Playbook

Copyright © 2023, D3Playbook.com All rights reserved

Reply

or to participate.