Judge to decide soon on possible NIL injunction after Tennessee vs. NCAA hearing ends

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – A federal judge in Tennessee is mulling a preliminary injunction which would suspend NCAA rules regarding name, image and likeness benefits for athletes. He expects to make that decision in "short order."

On Tuesday, Judge Clifton Corker heard arguments from attorneys representing the state of Tennessee and the NCAA in an Eastern Tennessee District courtroom.

Corker didn’t announce an order from the bench but soon will determine whether the NCAA’s NIL rules cause irreparable damage to athletes. It's unclear whether Corker will deliver that decision this week or next.

Attorneys general for Tennessee and Virginia, who filed the antitrust lawsuit over NIL rules, await the decision. So do the NCAA and the University of Tennessee, who are locked in a fierce fight over NIL rules about 70 miles away.

About 40 people, including a few Tennessee fans, were present in the gallery for Tuesday's hearing, which lasted 70 minutes.

If the injunction is granted, it could have a seismic impact on college sports. It would freeze the NCAA's rules banning NIL recruiting inducements for more than 523,000 athletes at 1,088 institutions, at least until the case concludes

Under current NCAA rules, college recruits and transfers cannot negotiate and sign NIL contracts before enrolling at a university.

What it means for NCAA investigation into University of Tennessee

This federal case and the NCAA’s investigation into Tennessee aren’t directly connected, but the prior impacts the latter.

If the injunction is granted, the NCAA likely would drop the most serious charges against the school. Otherwise, it would be attempting to punish a school for breaking rules in the past that are unenforceable and potentially illegal in the present.

If the injunction is denied, the NCAA could be emboldened by the small victory and continue its investigation with vigor, or it could see the writing on the wall and abandon the probe. After all, Corker previously said that NIL rules likely violate antitrust laws.

But the longer Corker takes to make a decision, the more time the NCAA has to move forward with its investigation.

The NCAA is investigating allegations that Tennessee broke NIL rules in multiple sports, including football, the Knoxville News has learned. But the university has not received a Notice of Allegations, so the probe could still heat up or cool down.