My gut tells me if Pavia (or any other player looking to extend eligibility) goes to court, it WILL most likely be granted. When Pavia got the court to file an injunction for relief, the judge granted it based on the idea of limiting eligibility per NCAA rules was “arbitrary and capricious”. The judge cited the NCAA’s own history over the years of passing out eligibility waivers like candy on Halloween.
Players and their attorneys will continue to argue that any limitation on eligibility substantially hinders the player’s ability to generate income via NIL. And my thought is the courts follow the path of least resistance.
When Pavia filed for injunction originally, it was based primarily on the idea his ability to earn income via NIL was negatively impacted by his time in JC, which counted against his eligibility years. The NCAA issued a blanket waiver to those who had played in JC for 2025. That was because the NCAA knew the case couldn’t be decided prior to the start of the 2025/26 calendar.
So it turned into an Oprah episode…. “You get more eligibility…you get more eligibility…you get more eligibility….”