Yahoo Settles Rivals.com Auto Renewal Class Action Lawsuit

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Yahoo! Inc., which does business as Rivals.com, has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit challenging its policy of automatically renewing subscriptions to its college sports website without consumers’ permission.

Last week, plaintiff Andrew Wahl filed a motion seeking preliminary approval of the Rivals.com class action settlement.

If it is approved, it would resolve allegations that consumers who purchased a monthly or annual subscription to Rivals.com were subjected to automatic renewals of their subscriptions without giving their permission. Subscribers also claim they were unable to obtain refunds for their payments.

Wahl, who is a resident of Missouri, initially filed the Rivals.com class action lawsuit on March 31, 2017. He claims he purchased a one-year premium subscription to Rivals.com in February 2015 for $99.95.

However, he says his subscription automatically renewed in February 2016 and February 2017. Wahl claims to have attempted to cancel the subscription after the 2017 renewal and obtain a refund, but he gave up after realizing the membership subscription was non-refundable.

In September 2017, Yahoo successfully had the Rivals.com class action lawsuit dismissed in part because, as a Missouri resident, Wahl lacked standing to bring claims under California’s Unfair Competition Law and Auto Renewal Law. His attorneys identified a California plaintiff who has standing to bring claims under the state laws.

Class Members of the proposed Yahoo class action lawsuit include all California consumers who were charged for auto-renewal subscriptions on a recurring basis by Rivals.com for subscriptions entered into since March 31, 2013.

Under the terms of the proposed Rivals.com settlement, Class Members are entitled to receive either a credit toward the college sports website or a cash payment. Class Members who purchased an annual subscription will be entitled to either five months of credit for Rivals.com or a cash payment of $20. Class Members who purchased a monthly subscription will be entitled to receive three months of credit or $10 in cash.

“The Settlement Agreement reached between the parties is fair on its face and allows Settlement Class Members to receive a credit towards a Rivals.com subscription without the need to submit a claim form, or elect to receive a cash payment,” the motion seeking preliminary approval of the Rivals.com class action settlement states.

In addition to providing cash or credit to eligible Class Members, Yahoo has also agreed to modify its subscription page to clearly and conspicuously present its automatic renewal terms in visual proximity to the request to consent to its subscription offer when presenting such an offer to California consumers.

Top Class Actions will post updates to this class action settlement as they become available. For the latest updates, keep checking TopClassActions.com or sign up for our free newsletter. You can also receive notifications when this article is updated by using your free Top Class Actions account and clicking the “Follow Article” button at the top of the post.

The plaintiffs are represented by Joseph A. Kronawitter of Horn Aylward & Bandy LC and Darius Ogloza and David C. Fortney of Ogloza Fortney LLP.

The Rivals.com Auto Renewal Class Action Lawsuit is Andrew Wahl v. Yahoo Inc., Case No. 5:17-cv-02745, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

UPDATE: September 2018, the California Rivals.com automatic renewal class action settlement is now open. Click here to file a claim.