House Settlement Final Approval Hearing: Live Updates

The final approval hearing for the House v. NCAA settlement will be held today in Oakland’s federal courthouse, with the proceedings set to begin at 10 am Pacific Time (1 pm ET) and run the course of the day.

• Click here for a complete breakdown on everything related to today’s hearing.

The hearing will be led by Judge Claudia Wilken, who issued an order last month with details about today’s proceedings, including reiterating that she cannot change the terms of the settlement agreement today, she either grants final approval or denies it.

There is a third option, however, as Wilken could tell attorneys she is inclined to grant final approval if certain changes are made, which would delay the timeline for approval.

If final approval is denied, which is said to be the least likely option, they would return to the docket and could remain in court for years without a settlement.

There will be 14 objectors speaking in today’s hearing, including LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne, Michelle Roberts, the former executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, and the United States Department of Justice.

Full List of Objectors:

1. Objectors represented by Steven Molo of MoloLamken LLP.
2. Objector represented by Stephen Tillery of Korein Tillery LLC.
3. Objectors represented by Michael P. Lehmann of Hausfeld LLP.
4. Objector represented by Laura Reathaford of Lathrop GPM.
5. Objectors represented by Patrick A. Bradford of Bradford Edwards LLP.
6. Objectors represented by Alex R. Straus of Milberg LLP.
7. Objector represented by Caroline G. McGlamry of Pope, McGlamry, Kilpatrick, Morrison & Norwood PC.
8. Objectors represented by Leigh Ernst Friestedt.
9. Objectors represented by Michelle Roberts.
10. Objector the United States.
11. Objector Gannon Flynn.
12. Objector Gracelyn Laudermilch.
13. Objector Benjamin Burr-Kirven.
14. Objector Olivia Dunne.

If approved, the settlement would see institutions be permitted to pay student-athletes for their name, image and likeness (NIL), with each school able to allocate up to $20.5 million annually for athlete compensation.

The settlement also includes $2.78 billion in back pay damages to be paid out to student-athletes who competed between 2016 and 2024 for lost NIL opportunities.

Also a part of the settlement is the implementation of roster limits, which would replace traditional scholarship limits.

Lead plaintiff Grant House recently his support for the Cal Poly swim & dive program after the team was cut last month. House said swim programs getting cut, or being threatened to be cut, are decisions being made by athletics departments and that the settlement is not the cause.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by SAVE Cal Poly Swimming & Diving (@savecpswimdive)

Follow along for live updates beginning at 10 am PT/1 pm ET below.

FINAL APPROVAL HEARING LIVE UPDATES

10:30 am PT – Judge Wilken is in attendance and “already appears to be against some of the objection claims,” Front Office Sports‘ Amanda Christovich reports.

Judge Claudia Wilken is here. She already appears to be against some of the objection claims.

She’s going over some of objections. She says that this isn’t a Title IX case, it’s an antitrust case.

And on collective bargaining: “It may be a great idea…that just isn’t part of…

— Amanda Christovich (@achristovichh) April 7, 2025

Wilken said she’s “not planning on ruling from the bench today,” meaning she’ll likely take in all of the information during the session and make a written order later rather than issuing an immediate decision in the courtroom.

Plaintiff counsel Steve Berman said:  “Congress is the risk. I can guarantee you that if the settlement’s not approved, (the NCAA is) going to go to Congress and they’re going to say we now have $10B in House liability…we’ve got all these cases,” reports Christovich. “We can’t handle it. And they’re going to ask for immunity.”

11:00 am PT – Wilken’s biggest issue with the settlement appears to be the fact that it incorporates future athletes who are not currently in college. She mentioned the “10-year-old playing kickball” as an example of a young future student-athlete who will be impacted by the settlement but has no say.

Wilken asked if there should be a separate class of athlete who would be harmed by the settlement, specifically those who lost scholarship opportunities or roster spots because of the new roster limits. The NCAA lawyer disagreed.

Wilken has suggested the idea of grandfathering or phasing in roster limits, which would alleviate some of the stress placed on swim teams and student-athletes for next season.

Wilken just again suggested an “interim period” or a grandfathering/phasing-in period for the roster limits.

It very much appears she’s heading this direction as a solution to the roster issues. https://t.co/otBZgkxnoc

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) April 7, 2025