Supreme Court Backs Higher Pay for Student Athletes

WASHINGTON (CN) — The National Collegiate Athletic Association violated federal antitrust law by capping how much schools can pay their athletes, the Supreme Court ruled Monday.

Former Division I athlete Shawne Alston brought the case here on behalf of thousands of other players. Though student-athletes typically negotiate packages that include full tuition, room, board and books, there is only a few thousand dollars set aside strictly for other education-related expenses like buying a laptop for class. Daily expenses like utility bills, however, are not covered.

The NCAA calls such rules necessary to preserve amateurism in college sports. If deep-pocketed schools can offer unlimited amounts of cash payments to students they are recruiting, it says the stronger athletes will simply enroll with whatever school offers the most money.

A federal judge found that the rules violated antitrust laws by restraining trade in the market for higher education combined with the players’ athletic services. A year later, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the injunction against the NCAA’s compensation cap. The NCAA petitioned for certiorari before the high court, but it was dealt unanimous defeat Monday — three months after historic oral arguments.

This story is developing…