News & Insights

The NIL Arena: Change is Expected

In the ever-changing world of Name Image and Likeness (“NIL”) payments to collegiate athletes, the inevitable question has gotten the attention of the entire college sports ecosystem – how much constant pressure can the NCAA’s current structure withstand in an environment their system once dominated? Legal issues involving college athletes and the NCAA have taken center stage in courts around the country. Conferences and universities have spoken about the financial, institutional, and athletic pressures they now face. Lobbying efforts have reached the ears of Congress and State Legislatures, as mounting pressure for congressional regulation of the industry rises. And now recently, even the President of the United States has weighed in on what he wants the future of the NCAA to look like. Regardless of any one opinion on how college sports should look moving forward, the only certainty that remains is that major change is guaranteed. The real question is from where? ...read more

Executive Order on Collegiate Athletics: A Reset or a Rewind?

On Friday, April 3, 2026, the President signed an executive order on collegiate athletics in an effort to restore a regulatory posture that resembles, in essence, a pre–name, image, and likeness (NIL) power structure. Despite the clear enforceability and legal questions presented by this order, the NCAA has already indicated its intention to implement rules aligned with the order’s demands. The framework sets forth guidelines that favor institutional stability over athlete freedom. In reality, however, these guidelines reflect substantial deference to the NCAA and its historical compliance architecture, signaling a policy preference for centralized governance over athlete-driven market dynamics. In practical terms, the order narrows the scope of student-athlete discretion by circumscribing pathways that have recently expanded under NIL and a more open market, prioritizing uniformity and institutional control. It is too early to determine the exact ramifications of this executive order; however, its existence further emphasizes that change in the collegiate sports industry is coming. ...read more

NCAA Eligibility Battles Take to the Courts

In the brave new world of Name Image and Likeness (“NIL”) payments to college athletes, the inevitable question arises – do the NCAA’s eligibility rules violate federal antitrust laws? Those legal issues have taken center stage in courts around the country with mixed results. ...read more

College Sports’ Multibillion-Dollar House Settlement Has Been Approved, But What Happens Now?

As college sports enter a transformative period with the official rollout of revenue sharing and stricter Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) enforcement, Archer attorney Patrick Afriyie, a former NFL and Colgate football player spoke to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the legal and institutional implications of this shift. The NIL clearinghouse, which opened June 11, sets off a 30-day window for athletes to log qualifying endorsement deals. By July 1, the revenue-sharing era begins, officially marking a new chapter in college athletics where the traditional amateur model is being replaced by a more professionalized system. “There’s just been a major change,” Patrick told the Post-Gazette. “I think when the NCAA lost the lawsuit that allowed players to start capitalizing on their [NIL], that was when they started to lose a lot of their control that they've had and relied upon for decades.” He notes that the NCAA’s power structure, once built on the principle of amateurism, has been fundamentally eroded, with schools now obligated to navigate a regulatory environment shaped by new compliance systems like the College Sports Commission (CSC) and NIL Go, the digital platform for deal oversight. ...read more

Patrick Afriyie Named a “Most Promising Newcomer” Finalist in 2026 Pennsylvania Legal Awards

The Pennsylvania Legal Intelligencer has named Associate Patrick K.A. Afriyie a finalist in the Most Promising Newcomer category of the 2026 Pennsylvania Legal Awards. This accolade honors attorneys in their early years of practice who have demonstrated exceptional potential, work ethic, and legal acumen. ...read more