Former Syracuse kicker Jake Smith became one of six current football players to join former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon’s federal antitrust suit against the NCAA, EA Sports and the Collegiate Licensing Company on Thursday.

O’Bannon originally filed the suit in 2009 after seeing his likeness being used as a member of a classic team in EA Sports’ now-defunct NCAA March Madness series without any compensation.

The suit has the potential to collect billions of dollars in damages for players and former players, as well as potentially permanently alter the NCAA’s business model. Players could begin being monetarily compensated, instead of the current model which uses scholarships and other benefits, such as tutoring and meal plans, to compensate athletes.

College sports video games use rosters made of unnamed players that look similar to and have the same numbers and similar skillsets as their real-life counterparts.

On Wednesday, the NCAA opted out of its licensing agreement with EA Sports. Future college sports games can still use real schools, but cannot use the NCAA’s likeness.

In order to play NCAA sports, athletes must sign form 08-3a, which affirms they’ve retained their status as an amateur while agreeing to allow the NCAA to use the player’s name and picture. The NCAA maintains that they retain the rights to a player’s likeness even after graduation.

Smith is now attempting to walk on as a kicker at Arizona State. He missed his only field-goal attempt for the Orange, but made a pair of extra points.

The other players added to the lawsuit were Arizona linebacker Jake Fisher, Vanderbilt linebacker Chase Garnham, Clemson cornerback Darius Robinson, Minnesota tight end Moses Alipate and Minnesota wide receiver Victor Keise.

The trial is scheduled to begin on June 9, 2014.

Published on July 19, 2013 at 9:30 pm

Contact David: dbwilson@syr.edu | @DBWilson2