The NCAA announced Monday morning it had agreed to settle the lawsuit brought against it over the popular college-themed Electronic Arts video games.
The agreement will end the litigation led by former Arizona State and Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller and award $20 million to the class of plaintiffs. The money will go to various Division I football and men's basketball players who attended certain schools during the years the games were sold. The case had been scheduled for trial in March 2015.
From the NCAA's release:
The settlement will award $20 million to certain Division I men’s basketball and Division I Bowl Subdivision football student-athletes who attended certain institutions during the years the games were sold.
“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,” said NCAA Chief Legal Officer Donald Remy.
The complete details of the settlement remain to be finalized.
The agreement was announced on the same day the NCAA heads to trial in federal court in California. The long-awaited Ed O'Bannon v. the NCAA is finally happening. The O'Bannon suit was originally filed in 2009.
Monday's settlement in the Keller suit comes on the heels of the college football and basketball players' $40 million settlement with Electronic Arts and the NCAA's licensing arm in May. The suit said the video game manufacturer and the NCAA's licensing arm improperly used the likeness of athletes.
The NCAA has said current student-athletes will not be penalized for accepting payment from the settlement.
For the full release from the NCAA, click here.
