Earlier tonight, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken took a major step towards empowering current and future college athletes, but dealt a setback for former ones. Wilken partially certified a class action brought by Ed O'Bannon, Sam Keller and other former and current Division I men's basketball and football players against the NCAA.
The order, which both sides publicly hail as a victory but is also bittersweet for both, sets the table for a historic trial next June. The order also motivates both sides to engage in settlement discussions over the coming months.
Sources close to the litigation insist the two sides have not engaged in settlement talks and are essentially in a cold war.