Case Overview: A class action lawsuit alleges the NCAA’s “Four Seasons Rule” and “Redshirt Rule” illegally restrain competition and unlawfully limit athletes’ careers and earning potential.

Who Is Affected: Current and former Division I athletes who were affected by the NCAA's eligibility rules.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee Nashville Division

Top college sports governing body, the NCAA, uses long-standing eligibility rules that cut athletes’ careers short and unlawfully limits their earning potential, a new lawsuit claims.

The case, filed by ten current and former Division I athletes, argues that the NCAA’s “Four Seasons Rule” and “Redshirt Rule” illegally restrain competition and deny players the full use of the five years the NCAA itself grants them to compete.

College Athletes Claim Their Careers Were Cut Short

The plaintiffs include football, baseball, and tennis athletes from schools across the country. They describe how the NCAA’s rigid rules forced them off the field, not due to injury or academic issues, but because of a cap imposed by the organization.

Some, like Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson and defensive lineman Issa Ouattara, argue that their careers and leadership potential have been stunted by the restrictions. Others, like quarterback Brayden Schager from Hawaii and wide receiver Quincy Skinner Jr., say they lost valuable seasons that could have boosted their professional prospects. 

Baseball players Johnny Luetzow and Henry Stewart from Santa Clara University highlight how “Covid seniors” granted extra eligibility squeezed them out of opportunities. Tennis player Timo Legout was docked three seasons simply for time passed between high school graduation and U.S. enrollment.

In each case, the athletes claim these rules limited not only their playing time but also their ability to cash in on name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, which have become a crucial revenue stream in the new college sports landscape.

Lawsuit Argues NCAA Rules Unlawfully Restrain Competition

The lawsuit does not challenge the NCAA’s five-year eligibility window itself but argues that the overlapping “Four Seasons” and “Redshirt” restrictions act as anticompetitive devices. Instead of giving athletes flexibility, the rules penalize those who contribute early in their careers, forcing them to forfeit later opportunities.

The plaintiffs say the NCAA’s own actions undercut any justification for the rules. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, the NCAA temporarily allowed five seasons of competition in five or six years, showing the system could function without the limitations. 

Similarly, the “redshirt” rule was originally meant to account for transfer rules, yet the NCAA removed transfer restrictions in 2023, weakening that rationale.

The Case Joins a Wave of Athlete Antitrust Lawsuits

This case joins a growing wave of lawsuits challenging how governing bodies in sports profit off athletes while restricting their rights.

In California, the state’s interscholastic federation is accused of running a multimillion-dollar system with corporate partners that profits from high school athletes’ performances while banning them from NIL deals. 

Former NCAA basketball players have also filed suit, alleging the association continues to profit off their March Madness highlights without compensation. Beyond the NCAA, professional tennis players are suing major tours for allegedly colluding to suppress wages, while a group of college students successfully sued top universities over a financial aid “cartel,” winning a $284 million settlement.

In the NCAA "Four Seasons" antitrust class action lawsuit, the athletes are asking the court to create two groups: one for players who lost eligibility and want damages, and another for current athletes seeking an order that restores their right to compete. They argue the NCAA should compensate those already harmed, stop enforcing what they call arbitrary limits, and guarantee that future athletes can use all five years of eligibility.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Patterson, et al. v. National Collegiate Athletic Association
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Ryan Downton (The Texas Trial Group)
• Salvador Hernandez and Milton S. McGee III (Riley & Jacobson, PLC)
• JoAnna B. Adkisson, Christopher P. Wilson, Erik T. Koons, Bridget Moore, and Michael A. Munoz (Baker Botts L.L.P.)

What are your thoughts on the NCAA's eligibility rules? Do they limit opportunities for college athletes? Share your opinion below.