05:14 PM - May 31, 2014 by RaychelSnrHagens Berman, the law firm representing student-athletes in case which alleged EA illegally used student-athletes' likenesses in the company's college titles, filed a motion to approve a settlement for athletes who appeared in the games.
This is the first time in history that the NCAA's commercial partners will reimburse student-athletes for using their likenesses.
In the settlement, each member of the class-action suit could receive up to $951 per appearance in the game, or each year they were in it. That number depends upon the responses and the amount of claims filed of course.
Judge Claudia Wilken has to grant preliminary approval of the settlement before ultimately approving of the deal, but it appears unlikely anything would scuttle the settlement at this point.
As to what this does for any possible future collegiate games, it certainly sets a precedent for compensation and depending on how NCAA structural issues play out over the summer, the door could be opened for legal licensure of actual likenesses with no potential for legal issues down the road.
You may recall the NCAA Football series was ultimately cancelled in no small part due to 'litigation issues', and the NCAA is still mired in the O'Bannon suit -- so there is no guarantee the NCAA will be willing to play part in any licensing of their properties within a game anytime soon.
The NCAA itself is undergoing fundamental change, with the power-five conferences seeking more autonomy for things like compensation for student-athletes. Depending on how that process plays out, the door could easily be opened for a company like EA to make a video game of one of the most popular sports in America -- the market is certainly there and its doubtful that a company won't give it a try when the door is opened again.
This is the first time in history that the NCAA's commercial partners will reimburse student-athletes for using their likenesses.
In the settlement, each member of the class-action suit could receive up to $951 per appearance in the game, or each year they were in it. That number depends upon the responses and the amount of claims filed of course.
Judge Claudia Wilken has to grant preliminary approval of the settlement before ultimately approving of the deal, but it appears unlikely anything would scuttle the settlement at this point.
As to what this does for any possible future collegiate games, it certainly sets a precedent for compensation and depending on how NCAA structural issues play out over the summer, the door could be opened for legal licensure of actual likenesses with no potential for legal issues down the road.
You may recall the NCAA Football series was ultimately cancelled in no small part due to 'litigation issues', and the NCAA is still mired in the O'Bannon suit -- so there is no guarantee the NCAA will be willing to play part in any licensing of their properties within a game anytime soon.
The NCAA itself is undergoing fundamental change, with the power-five conferences seeking more autonomy for things like compensation for student-athletes. Depending on how that process plays out, the door could easily be opened for a company like EA to make a video game of one of the most popular sports in America -- the market is certainly there and its doubtful that a company won't give it a try when the door is opened again.
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