The battle against the NCAA's tight grip on college athletes' earning abilities is gaining major traction as a coalition of states banded together to challenge what they describe as anti-competitive practices. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares have been at the forefront, waging a legal war against the NCAA for their rules that limit how student-athletes can use their name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, according to an official statement from the Tennessee Attorney General's office.

Now, taking the fight to a larger stage, Florida, New York, and Washington D.C. have joined the fray. This multi-state alliance is poised to shake things up seriously in collegiate sports. "We’re glad to keep fighting to protect student-athletes from illegal NCAA rules. I welcome the addition of our bipartisan partners to the case," Skrmetti said, as reported on the Tennessee Attorney General's office website. As the coalition grows, so does the pressure on the NCAA to reconsider its rulebook.

Back in January, Tennessee and Virginia had already launched their legal offensive by filing a lawsuit that slammed the NCAA for violating federal antitrust laws with its restrictions—asserting that these limitations harm student-athletes and run contrary to the Sherman Act. Since then, a preliminary injunction was granted by the Eastern District Court of Tennessee in February, signaling a possible shift in the winds.

Action in the courtroom is expected to escalate as this powerhouse lineup of states is prepared to fully litigate to ensure what they consider to be the NCAA’s monopoly does not continue to limit Tennessee’s student-athletes—or any other—for that matter, rising talent across the country.