Team physicians in college sports wary of greater liability risk with athletes now making big money
Yahoo SportsTuesday, June 24, 2025 at 7:59:33 PM
College team doctors are getting nervous. Now that student-athletes can earn serious money—thanks to recent rule changes allowing them to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL)—physicians worry they’ll face more lawsuits if an athlete blames a medical treatment for derailing their career and future earnings. Before 2021, these lawsuits were rare since players couldn’t claim big financial losses. But with schools now set to share revenue directly with athletes, the stakes (and legal risks) are much higher.
Editor’s Note: This isn’t just about medicine—it’s about how the rapid professionalization of college sports is creating ripple effects nobody saw coming. Doctors, who once operated in a low-risk environment, now face the same liability pressures as pros. It’s another sign that the old model of "amateur" college athletics is gone for good, and everyone—from athletes to the staff supporting them—is adjusting to the new reality.
— Curated via WP Now’s
