NCAA Actions Do Not Constitute State Action for Federal Constitutional Purposes: NCAA v. Tarkanian, ___ U.S. ___, 109 S. Ct. 454, 102 L.Ed.2d 469 (1988)

Coach Tarkanian, from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV), became embroiled in a long investigation into misconduct at the school’s basketball program by the NCAA. Eventually the NCAA recommended that Coach Tarkanian be suspended for two years. UNVL followed this recommendation and Coach Tarkanian sued UNLV. The case eventually wound its way through the system up to the Supreme Court where for the first time it addressed the question of the NCAA’s status as a state or private actor.