Now that athletes make big bucks, team docs diagnose liability risk

The professionalization of college sports has prompted concern among team physicians that they will be exposed to a greater risk of being sued by athletes who claim a poor outcome from treatment caused them to lose future earnings.

Before July 2021, when college athletes were cleared to be compensated by third parties for the use of their name, image and likeness, such lawsuits would have been virtually unwinnable.

Four years later, and with schools set to share millions directly with their athletes, team physicians are wary. Some of the most high-profile college athletes are already signing multimillion-dollar deals, and six-figure contracts are common.