Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA: UPDATE: O'Bannon wins, but NCAA may not suffer that much

As you know, I'm no fan of the NCAA. I like how this is an end-around the whole student-athlete/shamateurism business. Former UCLA star Ed O'Bannon is suing the NCAA in a class action lawsuit against the NCAA using his likeness ... after he graduates.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=dw-ncaasuit072109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

Re: Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA

Wait a minute ...

What's this story about a civil suit doing on the ESPN site?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4346470

 

Re: Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA

I hope O'Bannon wins this suit, because the NCAA really sticks it to athletes in some ways. But if this f's up my NCAA football games, I'll be mighty unhappy.

 

Re: Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA

This suit should probably take awhile, and if the NCAA loses (and I hope they do), they'll probably appeal. So, your games should be safe for a year or two, at least.

 

Re: Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA

This was only a matter of time. I'll have to go to work and check the NLI promotional waivers to see if they are only applicable to student athletes while at the institution, or after. Will report back.

 

Re: Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA

I got to cover Ed at Artesia High (Charles, too) when Artesia was a beast in California.

 

Re: Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA

Very interesting. This is big money we're talking.

 

Re: Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA

I wonder what the NCAA's defense is going to be?

They can't give the usual argument on how they are trying to keep their sports amateur. Video games and merchandise sales are business. They're going to have a heckuva time trying to convince the courts that athletes shouldn't earn a share of the profits on sales of their likenesses after their careers are done.

 

Re: Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA

I doubt it'll affect much in the NCAA football or basketball games, there just may be fewer historical circumstances and teams, if any.

And, to be fair, I never really played with those. Much more concerned with Dynasty mode.

 

Re: Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA

I imagine it might be something along the lines of "We're not using their names. The schools own the jerseys and control the numbers and we pay the school licensing fees to use that stuff, and that's all we're required to do."

That said, I think they better come up with something better than that or else bring out the check book.

 

Re: Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA


Didn't the NFLPA lose a similar suit to former players featured on "classic" NFL teams in a video game.
The PA shut them out of the receiving any revenue

 

Re: Ed O'Bannon suing NCAA

Actually, the NFLPA won the class-action lawsuit for $28.1 million, then settled for $26 million. The reason they took less was to get the money immediately, as opposed to waiting on payments.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3174670