The NCAA has been hit with numerous lawsuits over the years by plaintiffs hoping to chip away at the status quo of amateurism, with none of them taking down the system but several of them weakening the NCAA’s position.
On Saturday, the NCAA reached an agreement on a settlement that will pay out $208 million to athletes who believe their scholarships were illegally capped. The settlement still has to be approved by a judge, according to the Associated Press.
The federal class-action lawsuit began in 2014 when former West Virginia football player Shawne Alston brought this case to court. The suit was later combined with another one, brought by Division I athletes whose scholarships did not cover their full cost of living.
In 2015, the ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12 and the SEC all agreed to increase the cost of a scholarship by several thousand dollars to cover living expenses. Athletes in the suit alleged that they were illegal prohibited from receiving a similar type of compensation when they were active.
Lead attorney of the case, Steve Berman has stated that each person in the settlement will get around roughly $6,000. According to the NCAA, all payment will come from the organization’s reserves. Here is what Berman had to say via text to the AP in regard to the settlement.
”This is a historic settlement for student-athletes and there is more to come as the second part of the case seeks injunctive relief that will force the NCAA to pay student-athletes a fair share.”
This result is the latest in a line of suits that have gradually gnawed at the NCAA’s once-unassailable principle of amateurism. The modifications have been a long time coming, and it is encouraging to see athletes getting some percentage of their due.
