NCAA Chief Legal Officer Donald Remy announced Sunday that the association will appeal the recent ruling that challenged the NCAA's regulation of college athletics on antitrust grounds.
"We remain confident that the NCAA has not violated the antitrust laws and intend to appeal," Remy said in a statement released by the NCAA. "We will also be seeking clarity from the District Court on some details of its ruling."
In a decision issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken ruled in favor of former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon and 19 others in a lawsuit.
While agreeing w/ cost of attendance, NCAA disagrees our rules violate antitrust laws & will appeal O'Bannon ruling: http://t.co/QVll5V3N7T
— NCAA (@NCAA) August 10, 2014
"It should be noted that the Court supported several of the NCAA’s positions, and we share a commitment to better support student-athletes," Remy said. "For more than three years, we’ve been working to improve the college experience for the more than 460,000 student-athletes across all three divisions. On Thursday, the Division I Board of Directors passed a new governance model allowing schools to better support student-athletes, including covering the full cost of attendance, one of the central components of the injunction. The Court also agreed that the integration of academics and athletics is important and supported by NCAA rules."
Wilken said the NCAA could set a cap on the money paid to athletes, as long as it allows at least $5,000 a year for big school football and basketball players.
The case was centered on federal antitrust law and whether the prohibition against paying players promotes the game of college football and does not restrain competition in the marketplace.
"Further," Remy added, "the Court rejected the plaintiffs’ claims that the NCAA licensed student-athletes' names, images and likenesses to EA Sports or anyone else. It also rejected the plaintiffs’ proposed model where athletes could directly market their names, images and likenesses while in college.
"We look forward to presenting our arguments on appeal, and in the meantime we will continue to champion student-athlete success on the field and in the classroom."
Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.
Related:
Official court ruling
Board adopts new Division I structure
NCAA responds to O'Bannon lawsuit ruling
