[On3] BREAKING: The SEC has filed a lawsuit against LSU and head football coach Lane Kiffin, @PeteNakos reports.

[u/Fonzie5]

https://x.com/on3/status/2095555292859646137?s=46&t=FavtrbPsHpJY8Odvh2TYUA

[u/CrashB111]

First amendment rights aren't just free speech, but freedom of association. Which includes being able to set rules around membership in private organizations, like an athletic conference, so long as they aren't protected classes like race, gender, religion, etc.

By breaking SEC rules to sign these players, LSU is infringing upon the other 15 members rights to freedom of association because they all agreed to abide by the SECs rules to be part of the organization.

[u/UpsideTurtles → u/CrashB111]

Any time these law suits happen im always confused by some of the filings until someone (like you!) comes in and explains it really well, then it makes perfect sense. But I guess that’s literally what a lawyer is for lol

[u/NotYourTypicalNurse → u/CrashB111]

What SEC rules did they break? Genuinely asking, I don’t know

[u/littlegreensir → u/NotYourTypicalNurse]

As far as I understand it, once you've declared for the draft you're done with college participation. You're considered a professional, which means you cannot participate in the amateur college football leagues. The problem with this is that the players in question only declared for the draft because the NCAA told them they were out of eligibility, so they needed to move on. Then they get told they can go back because of a temporary restraining order and...here we are.

[u/olivejinnflower → u/littlegreensir]

The problem with this is that the players in question only declared for the draft because the NCAA told them they were out of eligibility, so they needed to move on. Then they get told they can go back because of a temporary restraining order and...here we are.

This part of the story I had not heard before.

[u/EmotionalTater → u/NotYourTypicalNurse]

Other commenter is wrong. The SEC (and the other P4 conferences) just recently voted and passed a rule saying athletes who signed a contract with a professional team can’t be rostered by a conference member anymore.

It has nothing to do with declaring or trying out for a team. Other teams have players who tried out for NFL teams after going undrafted, but never signed a contract. LSU is the only confirmed team currently trying to roster players who were signed to NFL teams (given it was only for preseason games before they were cut). 

[u/JBrody → u/CrashB111]

TIL

[u/ThatGuytoDeny165 → u/CrashB111]

But the question is how will the judge who enjoined the SEC to the TRO last week feel about the league doing this? My guess, he isn’t going to be happy about this.

[u/CrashB111 → u/ThatGuytoDeny165]

Probably why the case will end up in federal court because it crosses state lines and involves public universities across multiple states.

Cases get kicked up to the feds all the time.

[u/bucki_fan → u/CrashB111]

There's probably a motion to remove waiting to be sent and then one to consolidate ready to go.

[u/bucki_fan → u/ThatGuytoDeny165]

That judge is at the state court level. The lawsuit here is federal, and the federal rulings override state ones in most situations.

IOW, the state judge has to pretty well sit there and take it. It doesn't invalidate his ruling or his TRO, there's just a different judge looking at a different aspect of law who's decision may make his ruling unenforceable.

[u/Cool_of_a_Took → u/CrashB111]

Whether or not it is a lawful rule continues to be the question that actually needs answering. This doesn't change anything.

[u/EpiphanyTwisted → u/CrashB111]

yeahbut only the government can violate 1st Amendment rights. SEC has a remedy, they just don't want to pursue it.

[u/CrashB111 → u/EpiphanyTwisted]

SEC has a remedy, they just don't want to pursue it.

They actually can't. Because the Baton Rouge judge's TRO says they can't punish LSU for these players.

Hence the lawsuit saying their rights are being violated.