NCAA v. DeWine: Baker's 'Extraordinary Step' Lawsuit Details Emerge; Ohio Supreme Court Pauses the Underlying Eligibility Ruling
What changed (Oct 17-18): New detail on the first lawsuit the NCAA has ever filed against a sitting governor, filed Friday in federal court in Ohio. Per the AP (via ESPN), NCAA president Charlie Baker "called the lawsuit... an 'extraordinary step' designed to prevent DeWine from taking an action that would make it 'impossible for all schools to compete on a level playing field.'" Per CBS Sports, "The 41-page complaint challenges the Ohio governor's legal ability to restore eligibility to fifth-year athletes," and the NCAA argues "Governor DeWine lacks the authority to permit Ohio colleges and universities to disregard the rules they have agreed to follow by rostering ineligible student-athletes." Notably, "There are eight Division I programs in Ohio, and all reportedly backed DeWine's executive order."
The parallel court track: Per Straight Arrow News, "The Ohio Supreme Court has paused an appeals court ruling that found the athletes ineligible and ordered briefs in a case led by basketball player Filip Borovićanin" — meaning the underlying eligibility question is simultaneously moving through Ohio's state courts while the federal fight over the governor's authority begins. DeWine's framing at signing: "When the rules change, fairness has to remain part of the equation."
Why it matters: Roughly 300 fifth-year athletes nationally have been denied eligibility under the NCAA's new rule, and Ohio's Class of 2022 athletes are now in limbo pending "short-term orders and further appeals" — while eight of the state's DI schools are positioned to roster players the NCAA deems ineligible. Every statehouse watching this fight now knows the NCAA's answer is federal court (NCAA v. DeWine: Baker's 'Extraordinary Step' Lawsuit Details Emerge; Ohio Supreme Court Pauses the Underlying Eligibility Ruling).