Despite the NCAA's requests to delay or redefine the Ed O'Bannon antitrust trial, a US District Judge has kept the scheduled trial date of June 9. Judge Claudia Wilken also separated the O'Bannon antitrust case from the Sam Keller right-of-publicity case - which focuses on video games - setting a March 2015 date for that case.

The NCAA had requested that all evidence and claims related to video games be removed, however that was denied meaning that evidence involving the NCAA, Electronic Arts and the Collegiate Licensing Company can be used.

As the NCAA works to give increased autonomy to the five power conferences allowing them to provide student-athletes with unprecedented resources and benefits, the ongoing lawsuits delay any reform efforts in regards to players likeness/licensing which continues to prevent any possibility of college sports video games returning.


From CBS Sports:

A federal judge on Friday set the stage for the Ed O'Bannon antitrust trial to occur as scheduled on June 9.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken denied the NCAA's outstanding motions seeking to delay or redefine the case and kept the scheduled trial date. She also separated the O'Bannon antitrust case from the Sam Keller right-of-publicity case that's mainly focused on videogames and set a March 2015 trial date for the Keller case.

Wilken denied the NCAA's request to sever all evidence and claims related to videogames from the antitrust case. That means the O'Bannon plaintiffs can use evidence and arguments about the NCAA's relationship with Electronic Arts and Collegiate Licensing Company over videogames.

The NCAA had sought to delay all of next month's trial until February, citing Seventh Amendment rights due to the overlap of issues in the two trials. That came after the O'Bannon plaintiffs dropped their individual damage claims against the NCAA last week.

“Although the plaintiffs' eleventh-hour change in strategy has denied a jury the opportunity to decide the important issues in the O'Bannon litigation, we are prepared for trial and look forward to presenting our case to the Judge,” NCAA chief legal officer Donald Remy said in a statement. “At the same time, we will continue to prepare for a jury trial in the Keller case that is scheduled for March.”


Image courtesy: New York Times

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