Sidley is representing the Big 12 Conference in groundbreaking antitrust class action litigation involving name, image, and likeness (NIL) monetization for student-athletes. On Friday, July 26, 2024, formal settlement documents were filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to advance the settlement approval process to resolve three class action lawsuits involving back damages and future benefits for Division I student-athletes. The settlement documents specifically relate to House v. NCAA, Hubbard v. NCAA, and Carter v. NCAA, which involve the NCAA, the Big 12 Conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big Ten Conference, the Pac-12 Conference, and the Southeastern Conference (Autonomy 5 conferences).
This landmark settlement addresses three primary issues: (1) payment of back damages for claims relating to NIL, academic-related awards, and other benefits; (2) increased benefits from institutions to student-athletes going forward, including additional NIL opportunities for student-athletes directly with the institutions; and (3) eliminating scholarship limits in favor of roster limits. The settlement is currently pending approval by the court.
The Sidley team was led by Dallas office co-leader and Litigation global practice group leader Angela C. Zambrano and Dallas commercial litigation partner Natali Wyson. The team also included partners Dave Anderson (San Francisco), David R. Carpenter (Los Angeles), and Lawrence D. Silverman (Miami), as well as senior managing associate Chelsea A. Priest, managing associate Megan J. Soliz, and associates Kathrine Maldonado and Natalie A. Piazza (all in Dallas).
