NCAA faces lawsuit from Villanova's 2016 title game MVP, Kris Jenkins, over potential earnings he missed out on.
Updated Article:
Hey there! Let's dive into a captivating tale about Kris Jenkins, the iconic Villanova basketball player who nailed the game-winning shot in the 2016 NCAA championship. Now, this dude's not just chilling - he's taking legal action against the NCAA and six prominent conferences!
Jenkins is one of around 350 current and former athletes who've opted out of a colossal $2.8 billion antitrust settlement, teetering on the edge of final approval. Some of these athletes, including ol' Kris, have decided to file their own lawsuits, fighting for lost income opportunities.
Why the fuss? Well, NCAA athletes couldn't cash in on their name, image, and likeness (NIL) until July 2021. This settlement, dubbed the House settlement, would retroactively provide back pay for athletes, starting from 2016. The payout for each athlete is typically determined by their sport and the amount of time they played. Jenkins represented Villanova from 2013 to 2017, and during his last two seasons, he started 72 out of 76 games, averaging a whopping 13 points per game.
Kevin T. Duffy Jr., an attorney from Greenwich, Connecticut, filed Jenkins' lawsuit last Saturday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit requests a jury trial and compensation to be determined at trial. However, the NCAA decided to keep mum on this matter.
So, what's Jenkins' beef? He believes he deserves a piece of the financial pie generated by Villanova's national title win, thanks to his game-winning 3-pointer. The lawsuit alleges that due to the NCAA's restrictions on athlete compensation, Jenkins missed out on game telecast revenue, media broadcast compensation, and potential income from third-party opportunities, such as video games, marketing deals, and sponsorships.
The suit also targets alumni donations, enrollment numbers, and publicity value after winning the title. It claims that these figures saw a significant boost as a result of the championship, with alumni donations increasing by 27%, enrollment spiking, and the publicity value approximating a staggering $250 million, with an additional $1 billion when considering the value of game broadcasts.
Apart from the NCAA, the lawsuit names the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and Southeastern Conference as defendants, primarily due to their involvement in the NCAA's restrictive practices concerning athlete compensation.
Fun Fact: The Big East Conference, where Jenkins played, isn't included in the House settlement, which might explain his decision to stand apart from the pack. #NIL #NCAA #Lawsuit #SportsBiz
- Reportedly, Kris Jenkins, the renowned Villanova basketball player who made the game-winning shot in the 2016 NCAA championship, is taking legal action against the NCAA and six major conferences, including the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and Southeastern Conference.
- Jenkins, who played for Villanova from 2013 to 2017, is not part of the colossal $2.8 billion antitrust settlement that is close to final approval, choosing instead to file his own lawsuit, alleging missed opportunities for income, such as game telecast revenue, media broadcast compensation, and potential third-party opportunities like video games, marketing deals, and sponsorships.
- The settlement, known as the House settlement, would provide back pay for athletes starting from 2016; however, Jenkins argues that he deserves a share of the financial gains resulting from Villanova's national title win, specifically due to his game-winning 3-pointer, which boosted alumni donations, enrollment numbers, and publicity value, approximating a combined $2.725 billion.
