Analysis: O’Bannon Decision Could Open the Door to Significant Changes in Collegiate Athletics

By David Hamilton, Jason Hicks, and Amanda Norris Ames, of Womble Carlyle   Since Judge Claudia Wilken’s recent ruling in O’Bannon et al. v. NCAA et al., Case No. 4:09-cv-03329 (N.D.Ca.), in which the judge called the NCAA a “cartel” that restrains the college athletics market, many commentators have forecasted the end of the NCAA. But, despite the broad language of the opinion, the impact of the injunction awarded against the NCAA may be rather limited. As written, the injunction c