Tennessee’s Donde Plowman is not pulling any punches after news broke of the NCAA investigating the Tennessee Volunteers. The subject of the investigation has to do with name, image, and likeness (NIL) benefits that were received by Tennessee Volunteer student-athletes across multiple sports.
Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated first reported the news. While the university did not initially release a statement, Chancellor Donde Plowman sent a letter to NCAA President Charlie Baker. In the letter, Plowman referred to the NCAA as “morally wrong” and “intellectually dishonest”.
Chancellor Donde Plowman put the NCAA in their place pic.twitter.com/WWBa70b1Sb
— More Important Issues (@More_Issues) January 30, 2024
Donde Plowman and Tennessee appear ready for a fight
Plowman’s letter to the NCAA shows that she is not going to give in to the organization. Plowman was joined by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who tweeted out a lawsuit against the NCAA in bracket form.
— TN Attorney General (@AGTennessee) January 31, 2024
Senator Marsha Blackburn also voiced support for the Vols and called for the Senate to hold the NCAA accountable.
Good on Tennessee and @UTKnoxville for standing up for the rights of their student athletes.
I’m calling on @SenateCommerce to take this issue up to hold the @NCAA accountable. https://t.co/gedB0R2wOj
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) January 31, 2024
“Student-athletes are entitled to rules that are clear and rules that are fair,” Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti said. “College sports wouldn’t exist without college athletes, and those students shouldn’t be left behind while everybody else involved prospers. The NCAA’s restraints on prospective students’ ability to meaningfully negotiate NIL deals violate federal antitrust law. Only Congress has the power to impose such limits.”
This certainly seems like an issue that won’t be going away anytime soon.