A growing number of college athletes and advocates are pushing for the NCAA to expand eligibility rules from four seasons to five. The goal is simple: give athletes the chance to compete every year they are enrolled in college.

Under the current system, student-athletes have a five-year “clock” to complete four seasons of competition. This rule was originally designed to allow for redshirts or medical absences, but it also means that many players spend one of those years watching from the sidelines instead of competing.

Why Athletes Want Change

The recent push for a fifth year of eligibility comes from a class-action lawsuit filed by several NCAA athletes, including football players from Vanderbilt University. The lawsuit argues that the NCAA’s four-year limit violates antitrust laws by unfairly restricting athletes’ opportunities to play and profit from their college careers.

For many athletes, especially those in development-heavy sports like football, baseball, and basketball, that extra year could make a major difference. It gives players more time to develop physically and academically, recover from injuries, and improve their chances of earning scholarships or professional opportunities.

The Legal and Financial Side

The lawsuit is part of a much larger wave of reform in college athletics. Recent legal challenges have already changed how athletes can benefit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Now, eligibility is the next major issue under scrutiny.

If the NCAA is forced to allow athletes five full seasons of competition, it would reshape roster management, scholarship limits, and recruiting strategies. Colleges would need to balance returning fifth-year players with incoming freshmen, potentially leading to smaller recruiting classes and tighter budgets.

The NCAA’s Response

The NCAA has not yet committed to changing the rule. However, its leaders have acknowledged that college sports are evolving rapidly, especially as athletes gain more rights and legal protections. In past statements, the association has indicated that it’s open to reviewing policies that promote fairness and athlete welfare.

Still, change will not happen overnight. The courts will determine whether the NCAA’s current eligibility rule violates antitrust law, and any final decision could take months or even years.

What It Could Mean for the Future

If athletes win the case or if the NCAA voluntarily changes its policy, the impact will be felt across all divisions. Here’s what that might look like:

• More playing opportunities for walk-ons and underclassmen who currently redshirt.
• Better long-term athlete development as players stay in programs longer.
• Roster and scholarship adjustments that force coaches to rethink recruiting cycles.
• New financial considerations for schools managing larger athletic budgets.

The five-year eligibility model could also align college sports more closely with professional development systems, where athletes are given time to grow before reaching their peak.