Darren Heitner’s inbox is overflowing.
As one of the most well-known attorneys in NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals and NCAA eligibility lawsuits. Heitner has become used to a deluge of emails throughout the past few years. But right now, everything is amplified.
“I’m getting roughly five emails per minute from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” Heitner tells Front Office Sports—thousands of inbox pings each day.
The source of the email overload: a new eligibility rule that’s rocked college sports. In June, the NCAA approved a new “Age-Based” eligibility policy allowing players five years to complete up to five seasons in college sports beginning on their 19th birthday or when they enroll in college, whichever comes first.
The policy was created to give players an extra season, and also standardize eligibility rules to stop a flood of lawsuits with players challenging various aspects of policy in court. Instead, it sparked a new cascade of cases in courthouses nationwide.
