Sarah Rathke

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Approved NCAA v. House Settlement Leaves Open Ended Legal Questions

By Jose Martin, Sarah Rathke and Zachary Rodier on Posted in Athletics, Case review, College Sport, Governance, Name Image Likeness (NIL), Women in Sport
After five years of litigation and negotiations, an antitrust settlement between the NCAA, the Power Five Conferences (Pac-12, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and ACC), and current and former Division I student-athletes has been approved by U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken. The landmark agreement reshapes the collegiate sports world as it completes the NCAA’s transition … Continue Reading

A back-to-school guide on revenue-sharing for female collegiate athletes

By Sarah Rathke on Posted in American Football, American Soccer, Baseball, Basketball, Case review, College Sport, Governance, Intellectual Property, Law, Litigation, Media Rights, Name Image Likeness (NIL), Player contracts, Rules and regulations, Sponsorship, US, US Sport, Women in Sport
Sarah Rathke recently published a piece with Cleveland.com about the NCAA’s new “House” settlement. Effective July 1, 2025, this will allow colleges to share revenue with student-athletes, but it leaves unresolved questions about gender equity, especially under Title IX. While Power 5 schools and most Division I programs have opted in, early data shows a … Continue Reading

Courtside With Women’s Sports:  NIL, Women’s Collegiate Athletes, And The Law

By Sarah Rathke on Posted in Basketball, College Sport, Intellectual Property, Law, Name Image Likeness (NIL), Player contracts, Transfers, US, US Sport, Women in Sport
I’ve been listening to Deja Kelly’s fascinating podcast, NILosophy.  Kelly is a lights-out women’s basketball player, and a talented broadcaster.  She and her guests – often but not exclusively young women – discuss the changing college sports world under NIL.  And many times during these interviews, I have been struck by how quickly these young … Continue Reading

NCAA Student-Athlete Settlement Pushing Madness Past Tournament

By Sarah Rathke on Posted in Athletics, Case review, College Sport, Intellectual Property, Law, Name Image Likeness (NIL), Player contracts, Rules and regulations, Sports Policy, US, US Sport
The NCAA and student-athletes are expected to settle their long-running name, image, and likeness dispute next month. But the proposed settlement likely will leave several questions about the NIL landscape unanswered. Squire Patton Boggs partner and co-lead of the firm’s US Sports & Entertainment Group Sarah Rathke explains why a proposed NCAA settlement with college … Continue Reading

Women’s March Madness remains undervalued

By Sarah Rathke on Posted in Basketball, College Sport, US, US Sport, Women in Sport
Earlier this month, Sarah K. Rathke, co-lead of the firm’s US Sports & Entertainment Group shared her views with Sports Business Journal on the disparity between the Men’s and Women’s March Madness basketball tournament. In this article Sarah explains that even now, with things heading in the right direction as the Women’s tournament now compensates … Continue Reading

Name, Image & Likeness: New Class Action Could Determine Whether NIL Activities Are Subject To US Federal Law Prohibiting Sex Discrimination In Education

By Lauryn Durham and Sarah Rathke on Posted in Case review, College Sport, Discrimination, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), Governance, Name Image Likeness (NIL), Rules and regulations, US Sport, Women in Sport
Women’s sports are on the rise, and so are the conversations regarding Name, Image, and Likeness (“NIL”) in connection with women athletes.  NIL activities have created an exciting new area for college athletes, and with that the importance of equity in opportunities and support for women’s teams.  The legal framework of NIL is evolving on … Continue Reading
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