Former Michigan football stars Denard Robinson and Braylon Edwards are suing the NCAA and Big Ten Network with other former Wolverines players, claiming they lost out on more than $50 million during their college careers because of the association's now-lifted ban on athletes being compensated for name, image and likeness.
The federal class-action antitrust lawsuit, dated Monday, was filed in the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of all Michigan football players who played before 2016. It also includes former Wolverines players Mike Martin and Shawn Crable as plaintiffs.
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The NCAA and major college conferences are in the process of trying to settle three antitrust lawsuits related to athlete compensation for name, image and likeness. They have a settlement agreement in place to pay $2.78 billion in damages to hundreds of thousands of college athletes, dating back to 2016.
The NCAA changed its rules in 2021 to allow athletes to cash in on their fame through sponsorship and endorsement deals after decades of prohibition.
At a hearing last week, the federal judge overseeing those cases declined to grant preliminary approval of the deal and kicked it back to attorneys to address her concerns with certain aspects of the agreement.
On Tuesday, another lawsuit was filed against the NCAA, targeting the settlement agreement. The South Dakota attorney general's complaint on behalf of his state's two Division I universities — South Dakota State and the University of South Dakota — alleges the proposed settlement forces smaller schools like those to be responsible for a disproportionate share of the cost.
The Michigan lawsuit aims to recoup what notable stars such as Robinson and Edwards were denied when they played, and it claims the players should be compensated for the highlights and replays of their exploits that are still used by television networks.
"These iconic moments have been repeatedly shown and replayed on BTN (Big Ten Network) and related networks, helping continue the fascination and passion of the sport. They have significantly contributed to the revenue generated by the NCAA and its partners,” the lawsuit said.
The NCAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Robinson was a record-breaking quarterback for Michigan from 2009-12 who was given the nickname Shoelace because he played with untied cleats. He was also depicted on the cover of the last EA Sports NCAA video game before the series was discontinued for a decade because of the first lawsuit targeting the NCAA's ban on NIL compensation. The game returned this year as College Football '25, with players being paid to have their names and likenesses used.
"They made hundreds of millions off the Michigan brand. The Michigan brand, I'd argue, is the most valuable in college sports. They made hundreds of millions of dollars, BTN made millions, and these guys didn’t get any of it," Michigan-based attorney Jim Acho told the AP. “That's just wrong, and it's not just wrong it's unlawful.”
Robinson recently had worked as a football staffer for the school but was let go in May after an arrest for suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Edwards played from 2001-04 and is considered one of the greatest receivers in school history. He was an All-American who went on to become a first-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns.
Martin played defensive line for the Wolverines from 2008-11. Crable played linebacker from 2003-07.
Acho said it is too speculative to know if approval of the NCAA's settlement agreement will impact this new lawsuit.
"And it's too speculative for me to hold off on filing," he said.
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