College football and video games each bring in billions of dollars each year, and when they can come together they are a commercial success, as can be seen with the NCAA Football franchise from EA Sports.
The most recent release of the franchise came back in 2013 with the release of NCAA Football 14, which sold over one million copies and was one of the best-selling sports video games of the year. However, the franchise was discontinued due to legal disputes in regard to the usage of college athletes’ likenesses in the games.
When the NCAA passed regulations to allow student-athletes to earn money with their name, image, and likeness (NIL), a path could be seen for the franchise to resume. Just a few months later, in early 2021, EA Sports announced that the series would return and there is an expected release of summer 2024.
While the release is highly anticipated by fans, there are some developments that could impact the release date or the game entirely.
Reports have indicated that EA Sports would pay each player an estimated $500, from a total cash pool of $5 million and would not earn royalties from sales. As of late, some players and now NIL agencies have voiced their displeasure with that, citing that is ” far below market value”.
Earlier this week, the Brandr Group – who represents top football programs such as Alabama, Georgia, and Texas – filed a lawsuit against EA Sports for this reason and is arguing that EA is “causing irreparable harm”.
“Unfortunately, EA Sports is trying to avoid paying collegiate football players a fair price for their participation in the Game, continuing the pre-O’Bannon pattern of large corporations taking advantage of young student-athletes and capitalizing on their NIL,” the lawsuit states.
While it sounds like the lawsuit is related directly to compensation, it is more directly related to representation. Simply put, the Brandr Group wants to be involved in any deals between EA Sports and the 54 schools it represents, as so similar agencies.
Athlete Advantage is of those and is one of the largest NIL agencies in the country, representing high-level SEC players and USC‘s Conquest Collective. Related to Kentucky, they represent Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary and operate Kentucky‘s “The 15 Club” collective. The agency has voiced its support of the lawsuit.
“This lawsuit represents a pivotal moment in the pursuit of justice and rightful compensation for these talented athletes, and Athlete Advantage is honored to stand alongside Brandr Group in this crucial fight,” the agency said.
EA Sports has responded to the lawsuit and has stated that they “100%” plan to work with the Brandr group to find a solution. This will be an interesting development to follow as we near next year’s anticipated release date.
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