A federal judge has ruled that some college athletes can receive payments when they leave school for the rights to their names, images and likenesses, opening the door for them to get a fraction of the billions of dollars generated by collegiate athletics. The decision comes after a lawsuit launched by former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon, who was upset because his image was used in a video game, but he wasn’t paid.
Here’s a few key questions to understand Friday’s ruling:
Q: What does this ruling mean?
A: It opens the door for football and men’s basketball players to get money once they leave school. But they likely won’t be in for huge windfalls, at least the way U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken envisions it. She said the NCAA can cap payments made to players for their names, images and likenesses, as long as that cap isn’t less than $5,000 a year. That would mean players on a roster for four years could potentially expect some $20,000 when they leave school.
Q: Where does the money come from?