NCAA Conferences Deny Withholding Documents in Athletes Antitrust Lawsuit

Former student-athletes who filed antitrust claims against the NCAA for compensation beyond the costs of attending college have accused the NCAA conferences of unreasonably withholding documents during discovery.

The lawsuit challenges bylaws that prevent universities from paying athletes beyond the costs of attending college. In 2014, a California federal judge refused to dismiss the suit; however, it ruled that this matter should be handled separately from the suit over the athletes’ likeness.

On March 11, 2016, the athletes filed a motion for a discovery …

March 17, 2016 NCAA

Former UCLA Athlete takes Compensation Lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court

On Tuesday, March 15, 2016, former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon Jr. asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a lawsuit against the NCAA over compensation for the use of players’ images and likeness.

In 2009, O’Bannon filed a lawsuit on behalf of thousands of former NCAA athletes claiming that the NCAA’s policy of forbidding student sports players from receiving money for the use of their images is a violation of antitrust law and personal publicity rights. O’Bannon alleged that the NCAA used his …

June 14, 2015 Litigation

Protecting an Image: Michael Jordan Opposes Proposed Jury Instructions in Appropriation of Likeness Suit

As we’ve mentioned before, Michael Jordan’s appropriation of likeness lawsuit has been allowed to continue.

This all started in 2009, when an advertisement was published in a special edition of Sports Illustrated, which was produced to commemorate Michael Jordan’s induction into the hall of fame. The advertisement was one by Jewel Food Stores, Inc., a Chicago-run supermarket chain, and it congratulated Jordan on his induction.

Now, six years later, the grocer and Michael Jordan are embroiled in a civil lawsuit in which the NBA …