Attorney General Jackley Announces Federal Court Rules In Favor Of South Dakota In NCAA Lawsuit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, March 31, 2025

Contact: Tony Mangan, Communications Director, 605-773-6878

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier has ruled that the state’s lawsuit against the NCAA should be heard in South Dakota circuit court and not federal court as requested by the NCAA.

Attorney General Jackley and the South Dakota Board of Regents, on behalf of South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota, had filed a lawsuit in September against the NCAA and its proposed $2.8 billion settlement between the NCAA and the “Power Four” conferences. The lawsuit argues that the settlement unfairly forces smaller schools like the South Dakota schools to be responsible for a disproportionate share of the settlement cost.

“We intend to stop the NCAA from forcing South Dakota’s Universities and students to be responsible for $8 million in the NCAA’s mistake,” said Attorney General Jackley.  “This amount will negatively impact student athletes at South Dakota’s two Division I universities.”

Attorney General Jackley said South Dakota is seeking an injunction in Brookings County Circuit Court to require the NCAA to hold a vote on how it intends to have schools pay for this settlement.  This vote would allow South Dakota’s and other states’ universities to have a voice in the settlement that the NCAA has so far denied them.

No date has yet been set for a hearing of the state complaint in Brookings County.

You can read the federal court’s decision and the state court motion for preliminary injunction here:

U.S. Federal Court Order Granting Motion for Remand: https://atg.sd.gov/docs/March%2031%202025%20NCAA%20US%20Order.pdf

SD Motion for Preliminary Injunction and Supporting Brief: https://atg.sd.gov/docs/March%2031%202025%20NCAA%20SD%20Motion.pdf

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