U.S. District Court: College athletes can be paid for their likenesses

A U.S. District Court judge today ruled in favor of college athletes who had sued the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) over the paid use of their likeness in a variety of products, including video games.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken ruled today that the NCAA’s rules limiting athlete compensation violated antitrust laws. The NCAA may still restrict athletes’ income from endorsements or appearances but not to a limit below their cost of attending school, and in some cases, a percentage of their royalties can be held in trust until after they graduate.