In an
order issued prior to last week’s hearing, Wilken specified that she “cannot order changes to the agreement."
During last week’s hearing, though, Wilken specifically said about roster limits: “My idea is … grandfathering." (That is, allowing current athletes to keep their roster spots.) "It's not that many people. It's not that much money." She added that it would be a "goodwill" move that would resolve a lot of "sturm und drang."
However, in the new filing, the principals wrote:
"The Parties appreciate the perspective and heartfelt stories that the student-athletes who objected shared, including those shared at the hearing. Defendants have evaluated — and discussed with numerous member institutions — the Court’s suggestion to 'grandfather' in the roster limits. Defendants, however, have informed (the plaintiffs' lawayers) that those discussions revealed no practicable way to do so, because 'grandfathering' roster limits would cause significant disruption. The Parties are both independently aware that member institutions and student-athletes have been making decisions in anticipation of the roster limits being immediately effective if the Settlement is approved."
Although roster limits received no attention during the preliminary-approval hearing, the principals noted that written objections were made about that aspect of the settlement prior to that hearing, and
Wilken granted preliminary approval.
House vs. NCAA settlement gets possible revisions, but not on roster limits