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The Flsa And The Ncaa's Potential Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Sam Ehrlich

Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review

The NCAA is at a crossroads with student-athlete compensation. Over the past few decades, the NCAA and its partners have faced lawsuits from several different angles with essentially one consistent argument: Student-athletes deserve to be compensated for what they provide to colleges and universities.

In two such lawsuits—Dawson v. NCAA and Livers v. NCAA—the plaintiffs have attempted a new strategy: arguing that revenue sport student- athletes are employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). These cases have gained some traction, and the distinctive protections granted to employees under the FLSA present unique challenges worth exploring.

This Article analyzes the …