North Carolina sues NCAA to block its transfer eligibility rules

Driving the news: Stein, along with the attorneys general for Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, Colorado and Illinois, filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia on Thursday.

State of play: The NCAA changed its rules last year to allow athletes to transfer without sitting out a year, if it was their first transfer. However, it said that students transferring a second time still needed to sit out a year.

• Stein noted that only a small percentage of players are transferring schools for a second time, and that they shouldn't be hampered if they want to go to a different school.

What they're saying: "There is no restriction on coaches and administrators transferring and there is no restriction on students with music and academic scholarships" moving to a new school, Stein told Axios. "The only restriction is on student athletes."

• He said he first began to explore the issue with his team of lawyers during the Tez Walker saga but then heard about other student athletes at N.C. State, Wake Forest and East Carolina — including some who were allowed to play after lawyers intervened.
• "We shouldn't have to play whack-a-mole for every kid," he added.

What's next: Stein is hopeful that the judge will consider a temporary restraining order against the rule quickly — especially with more than 1,000 football players already putting their names into the transfer portal.