NCAA revenue-sharing settlement faces legal challenge

Written opposition to a proposed multibillion-dollar settlement in three antitrust cases over athlete pay against the NCAA and the Power Five conferences that is pending before a federal judge in California intensified Friday.

Two separate groups of lawyers filed motions asking U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken to deny preliminary approval of the proposed settlement. Together, the arguments raise myriad questions about the agreement, including whether it undervalues claims, discriminates against female athletes, creates another illegal salary cap and provides too much money to plaintiffs’ lawyers.

On Thursday, lawyers for plaintiffs in a separate lawsuit over Ivy League colleges’ denial of athletic scholarships filed an objection to a proposed settlement that would exclude their claims.

Meanwhile, also on Thursday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals set a tentative hearing schedule for Houston Christian University in its appeal of Wilken’s bid to become a dissenting party and reject the proposed settlement. Houston Christian, a member of the Southland Conference Football Championship Subdivision, argues that it would oppose the proposed settlement and that neither it nor its conference had any influence over the agreement.

The 9th District Court’s meeting schedule includes meetings in late October and November.

Wilken has scheduled a preliminary consent hearing for Sept. 5, and lawyers for plaintiffs involved in the proposed settlement have until Aug. 16 — next Friday — to respond to the new objections.