Judge approves $60M settlement for college athletes

LOS ANGELES, CA (WTVB) – In a landmark decision, a federal judge has approved a $60 million settlement for college athletes in a class-action lawsuit filed against the NCAA and video-game maker Electronics Arts. It marks the first time student-athletes will be paid for their likeness or image. Steve Berman, a Seattle-based attorney for the plaintiffs confirmed that U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken had approved the settlement during a hearing Thursday. The plaintiffs in the case against the NCAA and EA claimed they illegally used college football and basketball players’ names and likenesses in video games for years. Players who have appeared in EA’s NCAA football and basketball games have until July 31 to make a claim as part of the settlement.