O'Bannon begins to spread

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: