SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed video game maker Electronic Arts Inc. from a high-profile antitrust lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s long-standing prohibition against paying student athletes for their performance.
But U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken on Monday refused to altogether drop the case against the NCAA and its marketing company.
The lawsuit seeks to represent thousands of former football and basketball players who say the NCAA illegally controls their images forever without compensation.
Wilken says there was no evidence that Redwood City-based EA conspired with the NCAA to deny the players compensation.
Last year, Wilken refused to dismiss EA from a related lawsuit that alleges the company’s video game marketing deal with the NCAA violates the athletes’ commercial rights. EA has appealed that decision.
