Federal judge upholds NCAA transfer rule, players must continue to sit out season
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In an interesting legal case, U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt has ruled that the NCAA’s longstanding rule requiring student athletes to sit out a season after transferring is legal.
The case was brought to court by former Northern Illinois punter Peter Deppe. After announcing his transfer from NIU to Iowa in 2015, Deppe was forced to sit out the season — as is typical for a non-graduate transfer by current NCAA rules. Deppe was immediately accepted academically by Iowa but not athletically. When Deppe could not get a waiver to play immediately for Iowa, the school moved on to a player that was able to get such a waiver.
The NCAA’s rule forcing transfers to sit out a season, known as the “year-in-residence” rule, was at the center of this case. Deppe’s lawyers argued the rule is “an unreasonable restraint on trade,” and this violates antitrust laws, according to Steve Berkowitz of USA TODAY Sports. In the end, the judge presiding over the case ruled against Deppe and in favor of the NCAA.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt sided with the NCAA. Citing a prior ruling by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and other precedents, Pratt ruled that since the NCAA transfer rule is an eligibility rule connected to education — as opposed to a restraint on trade — it does not violate antitrust law.
Deppe’s attorneys are likely to seek an appeal to the ruling. Something that apparently disappoints Donald Remy, the NCAA’s chief legal officer.
“It is unfortunate that plaintiffs’ lawyers continue to file meritless lawsuits while ignoring multiple court decisions that uphold NCAA transfer rule,” Remy said via statement.
Considering this latest ruling, don’t expect the NCAA to allow transfers to play immediately, barring a waiver, anytime soon.
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A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
