EA Sports And NCAA Form Settlement With Athletes

EA Sports and the NCAA were hit with a lawsuit in the recent past over the use of college athletes' likenesses in various video games over the past several years. The issue is finally seeing some progress, with ESPN reporting that both EA and the NCAA's licensing division have formed a settlement for $40 million.

The settlement has been finalized, with an agreement having been filed in an Oakland federal court this past Friday. Under it, up to 100,000 former and present college athletes could be seeing up to $4,000 in compensation for the use of their likeness in the games.

This follows an agreement that was formed in September 2013, something that ended up being delayed. Quarterback Sam Keller, UCLA basketball player O'Bannon, football player Ryan Hart and other plaintiffs will be seeing the most compensation from the settlement, getting additional payments for their effort in kicking up the legal issue.

According to ESPN, those represented under the lawsuit filed on the behalf of Keller will be seeing the most funds at 77-percent, while the class under O'Bannon will be seeing 12-percent or so, and 10-percent will go to the class represented under Hart.

The settlement must be approved before everything is fully settled.

SOURCE: ESPN