The National Collegiate Athletic Association has taken legal action to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Reggie Bush seeking compensation for name, image and likeness.
Lawyers for the NCAA filed court papers Thursday seeking to dismiss all claims against them, saying Bush took nearly two decades to file his claims, and that he can no longer recover damages .
Wally Skalij
Shrub originally filed his charges on September 23 allege that USC, the Pac-12 and the NCAA profited significantly from his name, image and likeness while he was an athlete at USC. The Los Angeles Superior Court complaint detailed that the NCAA, USC and the Pac-12 profited from merchandise sales, television contracts and media rights because of his football career. Bush claims he was denied compensation at the time due to NCAA regulations.
“Such claims were filed no later than 2005, meaning his lawsuit is at least a decade and a half late,” NCAA attorneys said in their pleadings. “And while (Bush) points to several exceptions to the statutes of limitations, he does not make well-substantiated allegations that demonstrate a plausible entitlement to these statutes of limitations.”
Even if Bush’s claims were not time-barred, details in the case are scant to support his claims, NCAA lawyers said.
Bush was part of a certified class in another case that brought similar claims. The NCAA said it is therefore inexcusable for him to wait more than a decade to refile a similar claim.
“And while Bush received the accolades, defendants NCAA, USC and the Pac-12 Conference received all the money. Millions and millions of dollars of money, all derived directly from the name, image and likeness of Reggie Bush. To this day, all of the defendants have continued to profit from Reggie Bush’s name, image and likeness without compensating Bush one cent,” Bush said in his September complaint.
Bush is also pursuing one defamation lawsuit against the NCAA filed in August 2023 over comments that he was involved in a “pay-for-play” situation.
“On July 28, 2021, the NCAA, by and through its authorized spokesperson, falsely told reporters that due to Mr. Bush’s prior involvement in a ‘pay-for-play scheme,’ the NCAA would not consider releasing his collegiate records restore that it was vacated in 2010,” the defamation suit said.
It continued to say that Bush’s reputation in his field had been “substantially and irreparably damaged.”
While Bush was at USC from 2003 to 2005, he helped lead the Trojans to two national championships. In 2010, Bush had his Heisman Trophy stripped from him after an NCAA investigation found that he received impermissible benefits as a student.
In April 2024, the Heisman Trust announced it was being reinstated his trophy following “tremendous changes in the college football landscape” as players are allowed to receive payment through endorsement deals for the use of their name, image and likeness.
