Should Congress Grant the NCAA an Antitrust Exemption?

Since the Supreme Court’s 2021 decision in NCAA v. Alston paved the way for universities to pay student-athletes, college sports have changed dramatically. Now, the NCAA is asking for an antitrust exemption to help navigate these changes. The NCAA is surely facing a complex set of challenges, but an antitrust exemption is a big ask. This raises the question: Is an antitrust exemption a reasonable response to the current challenges facing college sports, a uniquely American institution?Val Ackerman is the commissioner of the Big East Conference. Previously, she was the founding president of the WNBA.Jim Cavale is the founder of Athletes.org.Ross Dellenger is a senior college football reporter at Yahoo Sports.Matthew Mitten is the executive director of National Sports Law Institute at Marquette University.Katherine Van Dyck is the founder of KVD Strategies.Note: This episode is adapted from the most recent installment of the American Enterprise Institute’s Education Policy Debate Series, which was held at AEI on February 27. A video recording of the debate can be found here.