Most people are familiar with EA Sports video games like FIFA, Madden NFL and NHL. But EA Sports is also the creator of NCAA Football and Basketball video games which features student-athletes from various universities. Student-athletes do not get paid for being in these video games, which shows just how much NCAA exploits college athletes.
In 2009 former UCLA basketball player, Ed O’Bannon, decided to take matters into his hands concerning the exploration of college basketball and football players in EA Sports video games after he saw himself in the video game without his permission. O’Bannon filed a lawsuit against the NCAA saying that they exploited not only his image and likeness but deprived him of his right of publicity. The other two main plaintiffs included former Rutgers quarterback, Ryan Hart, and former Arizona State quarterback, Sam Keller. EA Sports were co-defendants with NCAA.
Five years later the case was finally settled, with O’Bannon coming out victorious. The win meant that more than 24,000 former collegiate football and basketball players will share the 60 million settlement. As more student-athletes fight for their rights, hopefully they will come out successful like the example of O’Bannon.
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