Livvy Dunne gives passionate testimony in $2.8 billion NCAA settlement case

OAKLAND, Calif.— The landmark $2.8 billion settlement that will reach into every corner of college athletics in the months ahead had its final hearing Monday, including athletes who criticized the sprawling plan as confusing and one that undervalued them, and attorneys who said they were concerned about the impacts on campuses across the country.LSU gymnast and millionaire influencer Olivia Dunne was one of four athletes to testify against the settlement.Three represented Olympic, non-revenue sports and Benjamin Burr-Kirven was from a big-money sport as a former star linebacker at Washington.Dunne, who just wrapped up her final season of eligibility, objected to the formula used to set an athlete’s name, image and likeness value, arguing that hers was estimated too low.In testimony over a Zoom video call, Dunne described herself as “a Division I athlete, a businesswoman, and I’ve been the highest-earning female athlete since the NIL rules changed.”She said the settlement hardly acknowledges her true value and potential earning power; a plaintiffs’ attorney later said Dunne would be receiving an updated allocation.“This settlement uses old logic to calculate modern value,” Dunne said.

“It takes a narrow snapshot of a still maturing market and freezes it, ignoring the trajectory we were on and the deals we lost and the future we could have had.”U.S.District Judge Claudia Wilken gave no indication Monday the complaints have changed her mind, though she acknowledged the concerns and asked attorneys for fresh feedback on several topics.

The plan is expected to move forward with her final decision coming in a few weeks.“Basically I think it is a good settlement, don’t quote me, and I think it’s worth pursuing,” Wilken said.“I think some of these things could be fixed if people tried to fix them and that it would be worth their while to try to fix them.”She asked both sides to come back in a week with how they might be able to address...