Bricker Graydon’s Kasey Havekost Featured in National Discussion on Historic NCAA Settlement

Kasey Havekost, a higher education attorney in Bricker Graydon’s Cleveland office and a former Division I student-athlete, was featured in Part 2 of a national series examining the far-reaching consequences of the $2.8 billion antitrust settlement in House v. NCAA. With the framework of college athletics set for a seismic shift beginning July 1, Kasey provided key legal insight into how the direct compensation of student-athletes could open the door to significant Title IX and antitrust challenges.

In the article, Kasey emphasized that this landmark settlement is only the beginning of what will be an evolving legal landscape for college sports. “I foresee Title IX challenges on two fronts,” she noted, pointing to the disproportionate distribution of payments favoring football and men’s basketball and the potential elimination of teams or athletes due to budget constraints. Both scenarios, she explained, could prompt claims of inequitable treatment under Title IX.

Kasey also raised concerns about the legality of compensation caps without collective bargaining, as well as the still-unsettled issue of whether student-athletes should be considered employees — a question made more pressing by the new structure of direct payments.

Kasey joins a diverse panel of voices in the article, including former professional athletes, sports journalists, and university administrators, as the conversation around the future of collegiate athletics continues to unfold.

To read the full article and Kasey’s analysis, visit The News-Gazette.