NCAA $60M Video Image Settlement Could Attract 100,000 Claimants

The National Collegiate Athletic Association and Electronic Arts Inc. are scheduled to seek final court approval next May 14 of a $60 million settlement of claims that athletes’ images were wrongly used in video games.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken in Oakland, California, yesterday set the fairness hearing date and said in court papers that more than 100,000 individuals have potential claims.

“Plaintiffs allege, among other things, antitrust and right of publicity claims” including “license, use, and/or sale of class members’ name, image, and likeness rights without compensation,” Wilken wrote in her order.

Wilken on July 24 gave preliminary approval of the settlement, which includes $40 million from game-maker Electronic Arts and $20 million from the NCAA.

The related cases are O’Bannon v. NCAA, 09-03329, and Keller v. Electronic Arts Inc., 09-01967, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (Oakland).