Florida Atlantic University has filed a lawsuit against four of its former football players who departed the program before their name, image and likeness agreements could be fully realized. The complaint alleges that each athlete signed contracts containing a liquidated damages provision, obligating them to return a portion of the compensation if they transferred to another school before the agreement’s term concluded.
Asaad Waseem’s deal was valued at $69,000 over fifteen months, while Tyler Stolsky’s contract was worth $45,000. Zion Paret received $30,000 paid in monthly installments of $2,000, and Gemari Sands was granted an $18,000 retention bonus before committing to Florida State.
FAU is seeking repayment of the disputed amounts as well as additional penalties, echoing the approach taken earlier by the University of Cincinnati, which recently sued former quarterback Brendan Sorsby for allegedly violating a similar clause.
Implications for College Athletics
Legal analysts note that powerhouse programs are monitoring these cases as templates for future enforcement, while defense attorneys plan to argue that clawback penalties clash with state labor protections. The outcomes could reshape how collegiate athletes negotiate NIL deals, prompting conferences to draft stricter exit clauses or reconsider the scope of guaranteed compensation.
Both universities involved have declined to comment further, citing ongoing litigation, but the cases underscore a growing trend of institutions using legal mechanisms to enforce contractual obligations within the rapidly evolving NIL landscape.