The U.S. Supreme Court will not consider the Ed O’Bannon antitrust case against the NCAA, it announced Monday.
The case centers on whether collegiate athletes are entitled to receive compensation beyond school-related expenses, both for playing their sport and from video games and television broadcasts using their names, images and likenesses.
Both sides sought a review of the case by the Supreme Court after a September 2015 ruling that granted each something, but neither everything they sought. The decision to not hear the case means that that ruling will remain in place, for now.
From AB: Judge Sends O'Bannon Class Action Against NCAA to Trial
At that time, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that while the NCAA’s regulations are subject to antitrust scrutiny and the rules limiting compensation of football and men’s basketball players to tuition, fees, room, board and books violate antitrust laws, schools are not required to offer student-athletes anything more than scholarships that cover the full cost of attending college, including travel expenses and personal incidentals.
From AB: NCAA To Pay $46 Million for O'Bannon's Legal Fees
Since the 2015 ruling was handed down, the Power Five conferences voted to allow athletes -- regardless of the sport they play -- to receive full cost of attendance scholarships. However, schools are not required to offer these scholarships to any student-athlete.
“While we are disappointed with this decision not to review this case, we remain pleased that the Ninth Circuit agrees with us that amateurism is an essential component of college sports and that NCAA members should not be forced by the courts to provide benefits untethered to education, including providing any payments beyond the full cost of attendance,” NCAA chief legal officer Donald Remy told USA Today Sports in a statement.
