CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Attorneys General representing seven states including West Virginia are suing the NCAA over its transfer eligibility rule.
The AGs from West Virginia, Ohio, Colorado, Illinois, New York, North Carolina and Tennessee allege the rule violates anti-trust laws.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said the decision was made to form a bipartisan coalition to show the transfer policy has been flawed. According to the lawsuit, the NCAA violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act.
Morrisey also announced a separate filing. He’s seeking a temporary retraining to keep the NCAA from enforcing the transfer rule.
“Athletes, like any other people, they have the ability to market their wares and have their education and you can’t put these restraints on them,” Morrisey said.
Morrisey took up the issue a few weeks ago with the NCAA denied WVU basketball player RaeQuan Battle’s appeal to be eligible after transferring to West Virginia. Morrisey said the NCAA was wrong. He said Battle just wants to play basketball and take care of his mental health.
“We’re going to make sure that the NCAA rules are going to be in full compliance with the law,” Morrisey said. “RaeQuan is just one example of many. I’m glad to bring this forward in a bipartisan basis with a number of my colleagues.”
The Ohio attorney general is leading the lawsuit.