NCAA Fights Injunction to Keep Sorsby Off Field
SkimNews Take
The NCAA's conditional allowance for Sorsby, despite his betting on his own games, signals a pragmatic shift in enforcement, prioritizing legal maneuverability over strict adherence to established eligibility rules for high-profile athletes.
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- The NCAA filed a legal brief Friday in Lubbock district court opposing Brendan Sorsby's injunction request, arguing it would make the NCAA the first major American sports league to allow an athlete who bet on their own games to continue competing.
- Sorsby was diagnosed with gambling and anxiety disorders during a 35-day inpatient stay at an Arizona rehabilitation center, and his attorney Scott Tompsett argues his betting should be treated as a manifestation of a mental health condition rather than a rules violation.
- Court documents show Sorsby placed at least 2,900 bets totaling more than $30,000 from June 2022 through December 2023 while at Indiana — including 40 on Hoosiers games but none on games he played in — and at least 165 bets worth $38,000 while at Cincinnati.
- The NCAA has not found evidence Sorsby attempted to manipulate his performance or used inside information on any of the bets, but says the 2,900+ wagers included parlays on Indiana basketball games that included wagers 'in favor of players on the opposing team.'
- Cincinnati received a PrizePicks alert on Sorsby's activity on Aug. 19, 2024, and provided him sports wagering education; the university said it had not received more than one alert for any individual athlete during his time there and none had been triggered by impermissible betting.
- Sorsby transferred more than $60,000 to a friend to deposit in a shared sportsbook account, according to court filings, and the NCAA says granting the injunction would have 'broad-ranging and destabilizing ramifications' by letting gambling-addicted athletes bet knowing they could rush to court if caught.
- A hearing on Sorsby's injunction request is scheduled for Monday in Lubbock, with the NCAA noting that in November, membership voted to rescind a proposed rule that would have allowed student-athletes to bet on professional sports — with Texas Tech among the schools that voted to rescind.
Why it matters: A Monday Lubbock hearing will determine whether the NCAA's permanent ineligibility rule for athletes who bet on their own games can be overridden by a mental health treatment defense. Sorsby placed 3,065+ bets totaling over $68,000 across Indiana and Cincinnati but has been diagnosed with gambling and anxiety disorders during a 35-day inpatient stay. The NCAA warns a ruling for Sorsby would let other addicted athletes bet knowing they could seek court relief.
