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The NCAA files motion for dismissal in the Ed O’Bannon lawsuit

NCAA Men's Final Four - Practice

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 05: Fans stand next to a giant NCAA logo outside of the stadium on the practice day prior to the NCAA Men’s Final Four at the Georgia Dome on April 5, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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The NCAA issued yet another stall tactic in the now-four year old anti-trust lawsuit that was filed by Ed O’Bannon in 2009 regarding the use of NCAA athletes’ names and likenesses in video games. USA Today reported the news late Tuesday night.

Both the NCAA and CLC (Collegiate Licensing Company, LLC), co-defendants in O’Bannon’s lawsuit, filed motions for dismissal after the two entities and their third co-defendant, Electronic Arts, asked a federal court judge if it would be possible. EA filed their motion for dismissal last week.

The filings weren’t much more than a formality once U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken ruled that motions for dismissal would be allowed, and it should be a while before we get a ruling. The case, which began in 2009, is scheduled to head to trial in June of 2014.

To bring you up to speed on what’s happening with the case, the plaintiffs -- there are a number of named former and current athletes participating, but O’Bannon, a former Player of the Year for UCLA and a first round NBA draft pick, is the public face -- are trying to get the case certified as a class action lawsuit. If they succeed, it would allow thousands of current and former athletes to participate, which would make the money at stake for the NCAA skyrocket.

Last month, the NCAA asked for a 15 month delay in the case.

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