A federal district judge accepted amicus briefs from a media coalition and the First Amendment Coalition in support of the NCAA in their June antitrust trial pitting them against former college athletes claiming that the NCAA is unfairly profiting from their likenesses. The judge also denied the NCAA’s motion to dismiss certain arguments. (Courthouse News Service, May 14, 2014, by Nick McCann)
With the fight intensifying over whether the First Amendment prevents student athletes from rights of publicity in live broadcasts, the athletes countered the amicus briefs with the argument that as with any television employee who asks for an increase in salary, the athletes do not violate anyone’s First Amendment rights in demanding a share of the broadcast revenues. (The Hollywood Reporter, May 14, 2014, by Eriq Gardner)