Breaking News: A judge in California is set to make a historic decision on a $2.78 billion settlement of antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and major conferences. This first step could pave the way for college athletes to receive a share of the television revenue that their schools generate.
The NCAA and five power conferences agreed in May to settle House v. NCAA and two similar cases challenging compensation rules for college athletes. This agreement could result in nearly $3 billion in damages paid to former and current college athletes who were denied the right to earn money from their name, image, and likeness since 2016.
As part of the settlement, conferences have agreed to a revenue-sharing plan that would allocate around $21 million to athletes at each school, starting in the upcoming season pending final approval. Preliminary approval allows athletes to claim damages or object to the terms, with objections already filed by some parties.
The National College Players’ Association and Athletes.org are taking different stances on the settlement. While the former has called it “unjust” and aims to prevent its approval, the latter supports it as a crucial first step, urging for certain terms to be adjusted before implementation.
The NCAA and college sports leaders are working towards implementing the revenue-sharing plan and addressing concerns raised by various parties. While preliminary approval provides some certainty, final approval from the judge is still pending, with the process potentially taking up to 150 days.
Stay tuned for updates on the outcome of this groundbreaking settlement. Follow Ralph D. Russo for the latest developments. For more college football news and updates, visit AP Top 25 and AP college football.
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