U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken has ruled that NCAA rules barring players from being compensated for use of their likeness in media broadcasts, video games, and any other products violate antitrust laws. This high-profile legal fiasco is a continuation of EA’s previous lawsuit against NCAA, which ended in a settlement.
While this is good news for players, the bad news is that NCAA hasn’t been prevented from putting a cap on the earnings. However, the organization is required to compensate players with an amount equal to the cost of their schooling. Colleges may also deposit the earnings in a trust, only to be paid out once the player has graduated.
The NCAA can appeal the ruling, however, this won’t necessarily stop EA from considering a revival of the NCAA Football video game series.
[Source: CBS News via Game Informer]
