Judge to Determine Whether Corbett's Lawsuit Against the NCAA Should Continue

Judge to Determine Whether Corbett's Lawsuit Against the NCAA Should Continue

U.S. District Judge Yvette Kane told Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett that he will make a determination about whether his lawsuit against the NCAA holds merit or warrants dismissal within the coming weeks.

Corbett filed a case against the NCAA in January, arguing that the $60 million in fines the conference imposed on Penn State for its role in the Sandusky abuse scandal violates antirust laws. Corbett’s representatives asserted that the heavy fines will have a state-wide impact and may directly undermine the university’s competition in both academics and athletics. They also noted that the sanctions will impact several third parties, including sports vendors, hotels and motels that accommodate school visitors, fans, and those who make memorabilia, according to PennLive.com.

However, the NCAA retorted that U.S. antitrust law is not an issue in this case, as the sanctions are unlikely to negatively impact the higher education industry as a whole, according to The Associated Press. Instead, the conference noted that it has the sole authority to make determinations about sports law issues, the integrity of participating conference members, and the character of the schools involved in the conference.

While a decision about whether to dismiss the case is weeks away, both sides expressed their confidence in their strength of their respective arguments.