New York Times Features a Q&A with Jeffrey Kessler

On August 27, 2014, the New York Times conducted a Q&A with Winston & Strawn partner Jeffrey Kessler, co-chair of the firm’s sports law practice group. The article, “How Kessler’s Lawsuit Could Change College Sports,” centers around a lawsuit filed by Winston & Strawn alleging that the NCAA and its major conferences violate the antitrust laws in restricting colleges from deciding how to compensate football and basketball players for their services.

Mr. Kessler discusses the case and how the future of college sports might look if he is successful. He tells the New York Times: “What we are seeking to do is remove the shackles so that schools can decide themselves what is the fair and appropriate way to take care of their players.”

For those who oppose player compensation at the college level, and argue that the NCAA is rooted in the idea of amateurism, Mr. Kessler explains that college football and basketball are two gigantic businesses, with schools having their own cable television networks, and coaches now having salaries of $6 million or more.

Mr. Kessler also emphasizes that the case is “dealing with the real world,” the market should decide the result, and “[t]he idea here is, let schools decide, let’s not have a cartel decide.”

Jeffrey Kessler is a partner in Winston & Strawn’s New York office. In addition to chairing the firm’s sports law practice, he also serves as the head of the global antitrust/competition practice.