Four former Michigan football players, including Braylon Edwards and Denard Robinson, have filed a class-action suit against the NCAA and Big Ten Network seeking more than $50 million for being “unlawfully denied” the ability to make make money off their name, image and likeness.
Beginning in July 2021, college athletes have been able to profit off their name, image and likeness (NIL). According to the suit, this involves football players prior to June 15, 2016, “whose image or likeness has been used in any video posted by or licensed by the NCAA, Big Ten Network,” and any of their affiliates. The former players say they’re entitled to “a present and future share of any revenue generated from the use of their publicity rights,” that includes but is not limited to NIL. The 73-page suit brought by attorney Jim Acho of Livonia-based Cummings, McClorey, Davis and Acho P.L.C. was filed Tuesday morning in U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan.
The class action is on behalf of former Michigan football players who played before 2016 and seek “to right a wrong perpetuated on college athletes for decades,” the suit reads.
“This not a suit against the University of Michigan,” Acho told The Detroit News. “None of the many former players wanted to sue UM and neither did I. It is the NCAA that perpetuated this wrong for decades. They knew it was wrong to prevent players from capitalizing on the most valuable thing they have — their name and image. That has been rectified for current players, but the NCAA needs to correct the wrongs of the past. Today is the day for recompense.”Saquandra Heath, the NCAA associate director of external communications, responded to The Detroit News that “we do not have a comment at this time,” when asked about the lawsuit. The Big Ten Network has not yet responded to a message left by The News.
Acho is representing Edwards, Robinson, Mike Martin and Shawn Crable in this suit that he says is the first of its kind filed by former college football players.Numerous former players over the past five decades asked me to file this, and after a lot of research we felt it was absolutely the right thing to do,” said Acho, who in the past has has successfully represented NFL Hall of Fame players such as Gale Sayers, Pat Summerall and Lem Barney in the concussion class action. “I expect former players from other noted football programs will follow our lead and file similar lawsuits.”
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