Wanted – If you are, or know, a Black college athlete who played Division I sports, including basketball or football, between 2016 and 2024, they must register their claim for a proposed .8B NIL settlement by January 31, 2025.Make a contribution to support community journalism today. All levels of support are greatly needed and appreciated. MSR […]
Wanted – If you are, or know, a Black college athlete who played Division I sports, including basketball or football, between 2016 and 2024, they must register their claim for a proposed .8B NIL settlement by January 31, 2025.Make a contribution to support community journalism today. All levels of support are greatly needed and appreciated.
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Bradford Edwards LLP, a Black-owned law firm based in New York and Los Angeles, is spreading the news “as a public service so that Division I athletes who wish to participate in the proposed settlement may do so,” said a press release sent to the MSR. @media ( min-width: 300px ).newspack_global_ad.scaip-1min-height: 100px;@media ( min-width: 320px ).newspack_global_ad.scaip-1min-height: 100px;@media ( min-width: 728px ).newspack_global_ad.scaip-1min-height: 90px;
The law firm added that they are afraid that “the settlement threatens to leave some deserving Black athletes with nothing” due to limited advertising specifically to Black audiences, the released statement surmised.
Ellen StaurowskyHistorically, Black athletes have been essential in building Division I basketball and football into a multi-billion-dollar industry. But Ithaca (NY) College professor Ellen Staurowsky, a longtime expert on social justice issues and sport equity, expressed concerns last week while speaking to the MSR.“I think the issue that is being raised in terms of the press release, I think it is really an important one because it really is signaling what happens in these settlements where the athletes that have an opportunity to be compensated, that information might not be available to them,” stated Staurowsky. @media ( min-width: 300px ).newspack_global_ad.scaip-2min-height: 100px;@media ( min-width: 320px ).newspack_global_ad.scaip-2min-height: 100px;@media ( min-width: 728px ).newspack_global_ad.scaip-2min-height: 90px;
“There may not be enough effort or outreach to these athletes, and these eligible individuals have their interests represented in the lawsuit.”She also warns against “these spectacular headline-grabbing numbers of $2.8 billion. That should not be understood to mean that the deserving athletes will receive it.“The vast majority of the athletes are men and women of color,” reaffirmed Staurowsky. “There are a lot of factors right now that are pulling on this settlement.” @media ( min-width: 300px ).newspack_global_ad.scaip-3min-height: 100px;@media ( min-width: 320px ).newspack_global_ad.scaip-3min-height: 100px;@media ( min-width: 728px ).newspack_global_ad.scaip-3min-height: 90px;
Staurowsky easily recalled past so-called settlement money from past lawsuits that never really got in the hands of the plaintiffs — the student-athletes. She cited NCAA v. Alston, the 2014 landmark case in which a group of student-athletes filed a class action lawsuit against the NCAA that went all the way to the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the players. But the decision didn’t result in money, only the new ruling that players could get compensation for their name, image and likeness, now more commonly known as NIL.Sportico this month reported that Big Ten schools are asking athletes to sign over their rights, permit universities to sublicense their NIL rights to third parties, and surrender any legal claims to employee status as part of the planned revenue sharing structure because of the House v. NCAA antitrust settlement.“We can’t assume that the people who should get this money are going to get this money,” surmised Staurowsky. She instead suggests that an independent organization be established to fairly distribute all monies that the student-athletes are entitled to because of winning lawsuits, not the NCAA or Power 5 conferences and schools.All athletes wishing to participate must complete a claim form by Jan. 31, 2025 in order to receive a payment. To register for both cases, go online at www.collegeathletecompension.com, which contains a detailed description of the proposed settlements.
The NCAA is expected to settle two cases for approximately .8 billion in connection with certain antitrust claims involving name, image and likeness (NIL). The estimated average payment for each football and men’s basketball player is ,000, reaching up to 0,000. Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.
