Video game manufacturers must pay $60 million settlement for NCAA-branded video games that used athletes’ likeness

U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE CLAUDIA WILKEN has verbally approved a combined $60 million settlement that paves the way for thousands of football and men’s basketball players to be paid for their past appearances in NCAA-branded video games.

Video game manufacturer Electronic Arts, Collegiate Licensing Company and the NCAA are the parties in the class action lawsuit initiated by former player Ed O’Bannon over the use of players’ names, images and likenesses in video games without compensation and without their permission.

The maximum amount a player will be able to receive from the settlement is around $7,200.  More than 20,000 claims have been filed and the deadline for former or current players to seek payment has been extended to July 31, 2015.

The NCAA is also allowing current collegiate football and men’s basketball players who played during the period the games existed to receive their payments without losing their NCAA eligibility.