Lawyers of the plaintiffs in a federal antitrust lawsuit about the rights of college athletes say they are open to settlement discussions with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a potential sign of compromise in the closely watched case, reported the Chronicle of Higher Ed.Â
The higher education news source is saying that lawyers for Ed O’Bannon, the former UCLA standout who is suing the NCAA over perceived injustices in its system, say they have sent signals to NCAA lawyers suggesting a willingness to resolve the case before trial.
In a statement to The Chronicle, the newspaper reported, Donald M. Remy, the NCAA’s top lawyer, said that the plaintiffs had “not reached out to the NCAA” about a possible settlement and any such assertion was “patently false.”
The Chronicle reports that O’Bannon and a potential class of current and former players have argued that the NCAA, through its antiquated system of amateurism, illegally prevents athletes from earning their fair share of the money the NCAA brings in from commercial products, including video games and other merchandise.
The plaintiffs are claiming ownership of potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in television revenue, as well. The NCAA has vigorously denied the claims, and last month vowed to fight the case to the Supreme Court, if necessary, according to the Chronicle.
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