NCAA TO PAY $20 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH FORMER PLAYERS OVER EA SPORTS VIDEO GAMES

EA SPORTS NCAA FOOTBALL

The NCAA has announced a $20 million settlement with former players over college-themed basketball and football video games produced by Electronic Arts.

The NCAA said Monday that the agreement will provide money to plaintiffs headed by former Arizona State quarterback Sam Keller. The case was scheduled for trial in March 2015.

The settlement will award $20 million to certain Division I men’s basketball and Bowl Subdivision football players. Details were still being finalized. The agreement was announced on the same day the NCAA heads to trial in federal court in California.

Former UCLA star Ed O’Bannon and others filed a class-action lawsuit claims the NCAA over the use of their images in broadcasts and video games without compensation. 

“With the games no longer in production and the plaintiffs settling their claims with EA and the Collegiate Licensing Company, the NCAA viewed a settlement now as an appropriate opportunity to provide complete closure to the video game plaintiffs,” NCAA Chief Legal Officer Donald Remy said in a press release.