Sports Law- “Cases in the News”

Please pick one of the cases below and provide the following information:

The facts of the case
The legal issue at hand
Each side’s argument
Current status of the case
Your thoughts on what may happen or what happened

You should conduct additional research for whichever case you choose.

Requirements: 2-3 pages in length (11 pt font, Times New Roman, 1.5 line spacing, 1” margins).

O’Bannon v. NCAA
Why should a sports figure give away his likeness, just because he once played in college? That’s the question that former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon is asking in a lawsuit that could reshape the way college sports is marketed.
The NCAA argues that it doesn’t license student images, just games. But in February, a federal judge shocked the organization by refusing to have the suit thrown out.
Now, 11 more ex-players have signed on with O’Bannon. Meanwhile, Sam Keller, the former Arizona State quarterback and 2004 Sun Bowl MVP, has opened up a second front on the video game company Electronic Arts, asking for his cut of the proceeds for the use of his image. The same judge who sided with O’Bannon combined their suits with six others to create a monster challenge to the NCAA’s marketing hegemony.
“This litigation has gotten to a point that has to be troubling for the NCAA,” says Vermont Law School professor Michael McCann. “No previous lawsuit that I know of has advanced to this stage. It elevates the possibility of a verdict where the damages are astronomical. Potentially any retired athlete whose image has been used by the NCAA after they graduate is part of this class.”
Considering EA’s NCAA football franchise just released its 18th game, there won’t be any shortage of names to put on the plaintiff list.

Please message me if you have any questions about the assignment.

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