Big Ten Supports Wisconsin in Tampering Lawsuit Against Miami
In a significant development for college sports, the University of Wisconsin, along with its NIL collective, has filed a tampering lawsuit against the University of Miami, as reported by Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger. In response, the Big Ten Conference has issued a statement backing Wisconsin’s position.
“The Big Ten Conference is aware of the litigation filed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison against the University of Miami and fully supports UW-Madison’s stance,” the conference said in a statement, shared by On3’s Pete Nakos. “As alleged, the University of Miami knowingly violated contractual obligations and disregarded the principles of competitive fairness that are crucial to college athletics.”
The Big Ten further emphasized that Miami’s actions are incompatible with maintaining a sustainable model for college sports and voiced its support for Wisconsin’s efforts to uphold these standards.
The controversy revolves around Miami allegedly interfering with Wisconsin’s contract with defensive back Xavier Lucas, who left the Badgers to transfer to Miami. Dellenger referred to the lawsuit as a “first-of-its-kind” move, potentially setting a legal precedent in college sports.
Wisconsin is seeking unspecified damages from Miami for its role in undermining a revenue-share agreement between the Badgers and Lucas. This agreement was signed before Lucas left for Miami, and he transferred without using the official portal, which had already closed by then.
Back in January, Wisconsin had accused Miami of tampering, stating they had credible evidence and warned of legal action. This lawsuit is the result of that warning.
The lawsuit claims that Miami’s communication with Lucas, despite knowing he was bound by a contract with Wisconsin, constituted deliberate and unlawful interference. Wisconsin argues that this caused Lucas to breach his contract. Additionally, the suit claims Miami’s actions interfered with Wisconsin’s relationship with Lucas by engaging in prohibited contact.
Reports indicate that Wisconsin and Lucas had agreed to a two-year revenue-sharing deal that was to take effect on July 1. When Lucas requested to transfer, Wisconsin refused to enter his name into the portal. However, Lucas bypassed the portal by withdrawing from classes and enrolling at Miami in January.
This lawsuit could have lasting implications on the future of college sports, especially in the context of NIL and the transfer portal, which have made tampering a hot-button issue. For now, Lucas has become a focal point in the ongoing debate surrounding college football’s landscape.
During his freshman season at Wisconsin, Lucas recorded 18 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and an interception. His situation continues to draw attention as the legal battle unfolds.
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