Vanderbilt Commodores Quarterback Diego Pavia Begins Lawsuit Against NCAA
Star Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia has sued the NCAA.
It was reported by Mit Winter that Pavia has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA due to eligibility restrictions that could affect a player's compensation.
According to Winter, Pavia “alleges NCAA rules that count juco seasons towards NCAA eligibility & that prohibit redshirts from being used after an athlete has played 4 years at an NCAA school violate antitrust law.”
The Vanderbilt quarterback began his college career with New Mexico Military Institute a program part of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). He played for the program in 2021 before transferring to the New Mexico State Aggies.
According to the lawsuit “athletes playing football outside of the NCAA monopoly have no meaningful opportunity to profit off their name, image, or likeness. Even so, JUCO Eligibility Limitation Bylaws restrict the ability of athletes who begin their college football careers in junior colleges from having the same opportunity to profit from NIL as students who enter an NCAA institution as freshmen.”
Diego Pavia has sued the NCAA.
— Mit Winter (@WinterSportsLaw) November 9, 2024
He alleges NCAA rules that count juco seasons towards NCAA eligibility & that prohibit redshirts from being used after an athlete has played 4 years at an NCAA school violate antitrust law.
He alleges the rules cause athletes to miss out on NIL $. pic.twitter.com/Oq8kXfPgMo
This is an attempt for players to be able to gain more NIL opportunities by having more eligibility inside the NCAA as student-athletes finish their college careers. Pavia, who has become a large name in the college football landscape after his recent success with the Commodores this year will help put more eyes on the lawsuit for players in the lower levels that don’t have as much of a platform to stand on.
The rule would also make Pavia unable to play in the 2025-26 season due to lack of eligibility.
According to Winter, “People have been predicting for a while that eligibility rules like this would be challenged with all the momentum plaintiffs have against the NCAA.”
