From time to time, we take note of the O'Bannon case, the lawsuit by a former UCLA athlete which is chipping away at the idea that high-profile collegiate student-athletes are just that - just students - rather than employees of a big-buck enterprise. (Did you notice how fast the floor in Pauley was replaced after the water main break on Sunset?) From USA Today:
A group of former college football and men's basketball players have
filed an antitrust suit against an array of broadcasters, conferences
and multi-media/marketing rights companies, alleging that the defendants
have illegally used athletes' names, images and likenesses in
television and radio broadcasts...
The plaintiffs allege that a NCAA name-and-likeness waiver form,
which college athletes had been asked to sign until the association
eliminated it this school year, "is invalid or otherwise unenforceable."
Athletes who signed
the release had granted permission for the NCAA or an associated third
party, such as a school or conference, to use his or her name or picture
to promote NCAA championships or other events without being
compensated. The
form became an issue in the Ed O'Bannon antitrust lawsuit against the
NCAA, which involved colleges' use of athletes' names, images and
likenesses in ways including live television broadcasts. NCAA officials
maintained that athletes were not required to sign the form, but at
least two college officials testified in the case that they believed the
forms were mandatory.
Full story at http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/10/07/college-athletes-sue-broadcasters-espn-cbs-abc/16867205/
The O'Bannon case: It just gets bigger and bigger:
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