March Madness tips off this week as men's and women's college basketball teams begin a furious competition watched—and bet on—by millions of Americans. With unexpected upsets and buzzer-beating shots, the on-court action will undoubtedly be thrilling; off the court, however, college athletics is in turmoil.
College basketball's premier event now operates in a dramatically different legal and economic environment compared to just a few years ago. The 2026 tournaments arrive at a moment when the traditional structure of collegiate athletics is being reshaped by new compensation models, expanded athlete mobility, evolving contractual disputes, questions about eligibility, and increasing scrutiny over the integrity of sporting competitions. The convergence of these developments has introduced a level of legal complexity that affects not only universities and athletes, but also regulators, sponsors, and the broader college sports ecosystem.
Steptoe's Sports Integrity Team examines these developments across six interconnected domains: (1) NIL compensation and regulatory oversight; (2) transfer mobility and contract structuring; (3) evolving eligibility adjudication; (4) for cause coach terminations; (5) gambling related threats to game integrity; and (6) the uncertain future of federal legislation and executive action. Together, these topics reveal a college sports ecosystem in transition—one defined by huge financial stakes, legal frameworks in flux, and governance structures that must evolve to maintain stability, integrity, and competitive balance in the years ahead.
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