Judge orders settlement talks in Ed O'Bannon, Sam Keller cases

Former UCLA star Ed O'Bannon hasn't had settlement talks with the NCAA in three years. (Isaac Brekken, AP Photo)

A district court judge ordered settlement talks begin between the NCAA and plaintiffs in lawsuits about the use of college athletes' names, images and likenesses, reports Jon Solomon of AL.com.

Just last week, a federal judge allowed former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon's class-action antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA to proceed to trial beginning June 9.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken said the case has been referred for "a settlement conference to be held as soon as it is convenient."

The plaintiffs in the case are O'Bannon and former Arizona State and Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller.

The O'Bannon case involves the NCAA's restriction on players receiving compensation. Keller is seeking damages in his case for the use of athletes' names and likenesses in video games.

STAPLES: Ed O'Bannon v. the NCAA: A complete case primer

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Electronic Arts Sports and Collegiate Licensing Company have a tentative settlement in the Keller and O'Bannon case regarding video-game claims. The NCAA is not part of that settlement, which has yet to be filed with the court, and has since sued EA and CLC. The last time the O'Bannon plaintiffs and NCAA had settlement talks was in October 2011. Wilken has summary judgment motions in front of her from both parties, but said last week at least some of the case will go to trial June 9 if there's no settlement.