NCAA Will Not Renew EA Sports Contract, NCAA Football Series is Dead in Name Only

[mestevo]

I think that's that unless litigation dictates per-player compensation in some form, and then it becomes a huge question of ROI depending on what that compensation (and any potential damages) looks like. To me this is NCAA getting out from under some potential future damages.

[xxDHAINESxx]

If the NCAA is no longer involved, doesn't that mean they will now be allowed to use actual players' names and likenesses in their games? The only reason they couldn't before is it's against NCAA rules, now they are no longer affiliated with each other

[DorianDonP]

I wonder if this will give ESPN the incentive to become even more involved with EA. They have shown the desire to be deeply involved with video games before, so much that they partnered with 2K for "ESPN NFL Football 2K5". They don't just want to be featured in the game, they want their brand to be the game.

ESPN has spent billions to secure the rights for the major conferences, the major bowl games, the playoffs. You can't talk about the finances of college football without talking ESPN in the same breath.

With the NCAA out, would ESPN not want to secure the only college football game on the market? Would they not want NCAA Football 15 to be called ESPN College Gameday 15?

I remember watching college gameday on a saturday morning and they showed a NCAA football sim of the two teams that were playing later that afternoon, and Corso, Herbie, and the crew kept talking about how cool it was. They seemed to love integrating the video game into their show.

I realize they are talking heads and not the decision makers, but I can't shake the thought that ESPN isn't salivating at the chance to integrate this series into their brand. Way more than the NCAA ever did.

Could be wishful thinking though.

[moose1234]

Well for the glass is half full crowd out there I hope your right .

[Strategizer]

Quote: Originally Posted by MizzouBravesFan

Um I'll wait for EA...anyone can throw a tweet out there with the most generic name for a game and look like a genius if it comes to fruition.

While I understand being skeptical until you hear it from the horse's mouth, I doubt McMurphy is just trying to look smart and doesn't have any basis for the tweet.

[aholbert32]

Quote: Originally Posted by xxDHAINESxx

If the NCAA is no longer involved, doesn't that mean they will now be allowed to use actual players' names and likenesses in their games? The only reason they couldn't before is it's against NCAA rules, now they are no longer affiliated with each other

No. No entity can license players names and if a player was paid by EA to use his name, they would no longer be considered an amateur and would be deemed ineligible.

[TDenverFan]

Quote: Originally Posted by xxDHAINESxx

If the NCAA is no longer involved, doesn't that mean they will now be allowed to use actual players' names and likenesses in their games? The only reason they couldn't before is it's against NCAA rules, now they are no longer affiliated with each other

No, because if Braxton Miller gets money from EA he'd lose real life eligibility and OSU could be hit with sanctions

[Jr.]

Quote: Originally Posted by JLoco11

To clarify the differences for people who do not quite understand what the NCAA and CLC are: NCAA = Non profit association, funded by universities to keep the rules and integrity of sports across all of college. In other words, the policing agent to monitor ALL sports (not just football) to make sure athletes and schools are following the rules they agree to follow. CLC = The licensing agent of colleges that ALLOWS the use of trademarks and licenses for universities. They control logos, mascots, fight songs, football fields, bowl games, heisman trophies etc. In other words, EA is losing the rules policing association. It's losing the governing body of what constitutes an amateur athlete. BUT, they can still maintain trademarks and licenses with each school, which is what the game needs each year to survive.

Which may ultimately mean, welcome back discipline system, fans storming the field/ripping down goal posts, and other things the NCAA didn't want in the game.