Advocacy group files motion to withdraw complaint vs. NCAA, others as player pay rules change

A nonprofit advocacy group of current and former college athletes has filed a motion to withdraw a complaint against the NCAA, Pac-12 and Southern California that could have opened the door to college athletes forming a union.

The National College Players Association, which filed on behalf of USC athletes, said Friday the recent changes in laws in several states and the NCAA’s plans to allow schools to directly pay players starting this summer caused it to reconsider.

Under terms of a settlement made this past summer, the biggest schools would have a pool of more than $20 million in the first year to distribute to athletes via a revenue-sharing plan, but the athletes would still be able to cut name, image and likeness deals with outside groups.

“These developments do not negate facts established during the trial and cannot be considered evidence for the purposes of this case,” NCPA founder Ramogi Huma wrote in the motion to withdraw. “However, the NCPA believes that it is best to provide adequate time for the college sports industry to transition into this new era before football and basketball players employee status is ruled upon.”

Another case against the NCAA, filed by Dartmouth men’s basketball players was dropped on Dec. 31. That abruptly ended their push to become the first college athletes to bargain for a contract. They made the move to avoid a potentially damaging precedent from a National Labor Relations Board that soon will be controlled by Republicans.

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