Dissenting Ex-NFL Players Fail to Get $42 Million Settlement Thrown Out

• Holding: The Eighth Circuit affirms a federal district court’s approval of a settlement between the NFL and former players who had brought class action claims alleging that the NFL had improperly profited from distributing historical films in which they had appeared.
• Takeaway: Setting up a licensing agency to help ex-players market their persona rights and a $42 million constituted two substantial benefits to the class members, the appeals court ruled.

A $42 million settlement between the National Football League and thousands of ex-football players gave substantial benefits to the retired players, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ...