Judge Dismisses Antitrust Lawsuit Against Ivy League Over Athletic Scholarships

The Ivy League and its eight member institutions secured a significant legal win on Thursday after a federal judge in Connecticut dismissed a lawsuit accusing the universities of engaging in an antitrust violation. The lawsuit challenged their longstanding agreement not to provide athletic scholarships or compensate student-athletes.

In his 36-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson highlighted a key weakness in the case of Choh & Kirk v. Brown University et al. According to Bloomberg, Judge Thompson ruled that the plaintiffs failed to clearly define a relevant market that could be subjected to antitrust scrutiny. This omission proved critical to the lawsuit’s dismissal.

The Ivy League, which includes Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale, offers students the chance to both attend a prestigious academic institution and participate in Division I sports. However, these institutions differ from many other top universities in that they do not offer athletic scholarships. According to Bloomberg, Judge Thompson emphasized that other selective schools—such as Stanford, Duke, UC Berkeley, and others—offer both strong academic programs and the ability to earn athletic scholarships. This, the judge argued, complicates the plaintiffs’ claim that Ivy League institutions hold a monopoly in this niche market.

Read more: Ivy League’s Eight Universities Defend Athletic Bans In Antitrust Suit

Per Bloomberg, Judge Thompson noted that athletes with impressive academic credentials have a range of elite non-Ivy schools to choose from, where they could potentially secure an athletic scholarship while also competing at the Division I level. Schools mentioned by both the plaintiffs and defendants, such as Michigan, Georgetown, Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt, provide student-athletes with options that combine academic excellence with financial support through athletic scholarships. Given the presence of these alternatives, Thompson ruled it “impossible” to argue that the Ivy League has enough market power to effectively limit athletic scholarships without risking the loss of high-performing student-athletes to other schools.

While Ivy League athletes do not receive athletic scholarships, the schools do offer substantial need-based financial aid, often covering the full cost of attendance for students, including athletes, who demonstrate financial need.

The plaintiffs in the case may still appeal the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, leaving open the possibility of further legal challenges.

Source: Bloomberg