SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge has green-lighted most of a lawsuit by former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon, who alleges the NCAA used the images of student-athletes without permission.
U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken denied the NCAA's attempt to have the lawsuit dismissed Monday. The NCAA had argued O'Bannon and others gave up their commercials rights when they annually signed a form permitting the organization to use their images to promote NCAA activities.
But the judge says O'Bannon's allegations the NCAA is improperly profiting by using the images to sell DVDs, video games and apparel deserve further hearing.
Wilken has combined his case with that of former Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller, who filed a similar suit against the NCAA and video game maker Electronic Arts Inc.