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Kentucky and USC NIL Collective Supports Lawsuit Against EA Sports and Upcoming College Football Video Game

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2 years ago

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Courtesy of Electronic Arts

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.

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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.

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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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Football

Kentucky Athletic Collectives Rank 11th of 16 Teams in SEC, Bring in over $11 Million

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2 weeks ago

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December 10, 2024

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Kentucky ranks 11th of 16 SEC teams in collective fundraising.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

For better or for worse of college sports, NIL is here to stay and it certainly gives an advantage to schools with more money. Just looking at the SEC alone, collectives raised more than $200 million in the 2023-24 fiscal year. Unfortunately, Kentucky is ranked in the lower half of that.

According to documents from the House v. NCAA proposed settlement, Kentucky raised $11,254,204 from athletics collectives for the 2023-24 fiscal year. That ranks 11th of the 15 public universities in the SEC and is just more than half of the top collective, Texas who raised over $22 million.

Full Rankings

Rank
School NameCollective Funding
1Texas22,272,474
2LSU20,137,141
3Georgia18,326,566
4Texas A&M17,228,714
5Alabama15,995,406
6Florida15,802,237
7Oklahoma14,817,595
8Tennessee11,602,164
9Auburn11,588,953
10Arkansas11,544,039
11Kentucky11,254,204
12S. Carolina9,554,700
13Ole Miss8,872,378
14Missouri7,146,859
15Mississippi St.6,467,166
NRVanderbiltNot Available (Private School)

While collective funding is low, Kentucky has been a top 20 athletic program in total revenue, partly thanks to being a school that profits from its basketball program. Looking ahead to 2025, Kentucky is expected to stay in the top 20 nationally in athletic revenue, fifth in the SEC by bringing in an estimated 131,139,792. Ahead of programs like Georgia, LSU, Florida, and Tennessee.

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With revenue sharing coming in the near future, even more money is going to be involved in roster and program building. Schools in the Big Ten and SEC have an even bigger advantage due to their new TV deals, giving them up to an extra $70 million or more.

A new era of college sports is here. It’s time to prepare and embrace it.

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Kentucky Wide Receiver Calls for “A Lot” More Leadership and Accountability from Staff

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3 weeks ago

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December 2, 2024

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Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops walks onto the field before the game against the Louisville Cardinals.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

A poor offensive line. Inconsistent quarterback play. A lot of things led to Kentucky football’s abysmal 2024 season. However, they had the talent to finish better than 4-8, only defeating one power opponent this season. So what could have helped?

Kentucky wide receiver Ja’Mori Maclin was asked that question after the Wildcats’ loss to Louisville on Saturday. To his credit, he answered honestly and professionally.

“A lot more leadership,” Maclin said. “Holding guys accountable for things. A lot more discipline for all the guys… All around, players and coaches. We’re still a team, I don’t want to point at any one person or specific group. All around we need better leadership.”

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Maclin is a junior and could return for another season. Despite talking about Kentucky taking the next step, he has not made his decision and will be returning home to talk to his family to do so. If Maclin does return, it sounds like Kentucky will have a leader in the receiving room.

Despite being a 1,000-yard receiver at North Texas, Maclin was not targeted often. However, on his 13 receptions, he caught four for touchdowns, the most of any receiver on the team.

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Kentucky Player Seen At Concession Stand During Kentucky’s 41-14 Loss to Louisville

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3 weeks ago

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December 2, 2024

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A Kentucky football player was seen at buying food from the concession stand in Kentucky's 41-14 loss to Louisville.

Kentucky’s on-field product against Louisville was poor to say the least, sending 99% of Wildcat fans home early. It even sent an injured player from the sideline to get a snack…

Yes, offensive lineman Gerald Mincey, one of Kentucky’s most expensive transfer portal additions, was seen at one of the concession stands at Kroger Field during Kentucky’s 41-14 defeat.

Watching a 4-8 team is bad, but even worse to do on an empty stomach.

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Mincey is a senior and will not be returning next season, but it is nice to see him reinvesting some money back into the program.

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