NCAA Football 14 News Post

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

03:24 PM - July 17, 2013 by FloorGeneral

The NCAA has decided today, unilaterally it appears, to not renew their license with EA Sports for the NCAA Football video game beginning next year.

In the statement, the NCAA said, "The NCAA has made the decision not to enter a new contract for the license of its name and logo for the EA Sports NCAA Football video game. The current contract expires in June 2014, but our timing is based on the need to provide EA notice for future planning. As a result, the NCAA Football 2014 video game will be the last to include the NCAA�s name and logo. We are confident in our legal position regarding the use of our trademarks in video games. But given the current business climate and costs of litigation, we determined participating in this game is not in the best interests of the NCAA."

EA should still be able to work out individual school, conference, awards, etc. licenses from the CLC -- which should mean the series should be able to live on. At the end of the day, this is the NCAA taking it's name and logo off of the game, but nothing more it appears. So while the series can't be called "NCAA Football" anymore, perhaps with the ESPN license the series can be called "EA Sports College Gameday 15" next season.

The only way this ends the NCAA Football series altogether is if one of two further scenarios happen: 1)If EA Sports decides it is done with the series altogether, which is doubtful given it's a top seller in the US. 2)If the CLC won't play ball with EA Sports, and thus EA has to negotiate licenses individually from member institutions

It is possible EA Sports will not continue development of the game after this year because of either reason, or because of fears of financial fallout from the Ed O'Bannon lawsuit. However, there is no guarantee EA will face huge financial problems from the O'Bannon lawsuit, and in a sense -- the threat of the O'Bannon lawsuit ending the series is the same today as it was yesterday.

I EA wants to they can continue the game with purely cosmetic changes and greater creative freedom without the NCAA hovering above the game. And let's face it, the less the NCAA is involved in anything, the better it will be.

So in a sense, the only thing different today versus yesterday with regards to the NCAA Football series is that it is no longer the NCAA Football series going forward. Everything thing else remains the same.

UPDATE: Brett McMurphy of ESPN is reporting ESPN has been told EA Sports will still have a college football video game beyond 2014, next year's game will be called College Football 15.

UPDATE #2: According to ESPN's Sports Business reporter Darren Rovell the CLC, which handles school, bowl, awards, etc. licensing, says it plans to work with EA in the future despite the NCAA dropping out.

UPDATE #3: EA Sports Executive Vice President Andrew Wilson speaks. In a statement, Wilson said, "EA SPORTS will continue to develop and publish college football games, but we will no longer include the NCAA names and marks. Our relationship with the Collegiate Licensing Company is strong and we are already working on a new game for next generation consoles which will launch next year and feature the college teams, leagues and all the innovation fans expect from EA SPORTS.

We took big creative strides with this year's college game and you�ll see much more in the future. We love college football and look forward to making more games for our fans."

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Member Comments

# 381 bcruise @ 07/17/13 06:42 PM

Okay, I completely admit to having never heard of the CLC until a few pages into this thread (as evidenced by my post on the first page). Looks like it's not dead after all.

However from what I understand, not all of the schools are under its umbrella?

Still waiting to hear from EA and/or the CLC on this.

# 382 gogators @ 07/17/13 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr2Nice


	Yeah but do u think the colleges themselves will want to get involved with the court cases that will follow for the samething? Plus whoes to say all Div 1 schools will agree to have their school used. This is the end of college footbal games as you know it. I wish it wasn't but it is.

No it's not. It's basically unchanged from the way it is now except the NCAA won't be affiliated. The schools were already through the CLC. NOTHING CHANGES!

# 383 loveburger @ 07/17/13 06:43 PM

It's not just removing the NCAA name and logos from the game... what appears on the surface is never that simple on cases like this... This is more of a wait and see what happens thing. Hopefully the game doesn't get affected too much

# 384 richmondn96 @ 07/17/13 06:44 PM

Statement from EA:

http://www.ea.com/news/update-on-ea-...llege-football

"This is simple: EA SPORTS will continue to develop and publish college football games, but we will no longer include the NCAA names and marks. Our relationship with the Collegiate Licensing Company is strong and we are already working on a new game for next generation consoles which will launch next year and feature the college teams, leagues and all the innovation fans expect from EA SPORTS. "

# 385 loveburger @ 07/17/13 06:45 PM

EA reps are saying what they need to say when news hits.. simple damage control to prevent any PR fiascos... but nobody can be so sure everything will remain the same. I hope it does however.

# 386 The JareBear @ 07/17/13 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richmondn96


	Statement from EA: http://www.ea.com/news/update-on-ea-...llege-football

WELP

That's about it. We can step off the ledge people.

Phew

# 387 BJNT @ 07/17/13 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouBravesFan


	"Lou Holtz College Football 15" presented by EA... Ehhhh....

I was thinking Lee Corso or Kirk Herbstreit College Football 15.

# 388 Mr2Nice @ 07/17/13 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gogators


	No it's not. It's basically unchanged from the way it is now except the NCAA won't be affiliated. The schools were already through the CLC. NOTHING CHANGES!

Can U then tell me why The NCAA has broken their agreement with EA? Then why won't the CLC do the same? You think they wanna spend money on lawyers when the NCAA doesn't even wanna do it?

# 389 loveburger @ 07/17/13 06:46 PM

Bring back Bill Walsh!! "FIRST DOWN"

# 390 the_serz88 @ 07/17/13 06:47 PM

Hope you're all ready for NAIA College Football '15!!!!!!!!!

# 391 bigdoc85 @ 07/17/13 06:47 PM

I admit -- I did read this announcement / thread too quickly while I was working -- sorry guys -- my mistake.

Did CLC grant a license to NCAA which in turn sublicensed it to EA or did CLC grant a license directly to EA for the game?

# 392 bcruise @ 07/17/13 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaredlib


	WELP That's about it. We can step off the ledge people. Phew

Yeah, they definitely wouldn't make a statement like that if there was any doubt in their minds things would be status quo.

# 393 RaychelSnr @ 07/17/13 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr2Nice


	Can U then tell me why The NCAA has broken their agreement with EA? Then why won't the CLC do the same? You think they wanna spend money on lawyers when the NCAA doesn't even wanna do it?

Because the CLC's job is to license logos and schools, not athletes -- they are not named or liable in any player lawsuits. As EA's statement has already said -- this basically means the NCAA name and logo won't be in the game but that's about it going forward.

# 394 aholbert32 @ 07/17/13 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr2Nice


	Yeah but do u think the colleges themselves will want to get involved with the court cases that will follow for the samething? Plus whoes to say all Div 1 schools will agree to have their school used. This is the end of college footbal games as you know it. I wish it wasn't but it is.

Jesus. I wish people understood more about the law.

Worse case scenario, Obannon wins a big judgment that is paid out to all current and former college football players. EA and the NCAA appeal. The judgment gets dragged out a few years and either they reach a settlement or the let the appeals process works its way through.

Worse case scenario for the game is EA decides to remove the name editor from the game (If EA is stupid). EA, NCAA and CLC all have the right to sell a CF game featuring college teams, uniforms and stadiums. Thats not gonna stop even if O'bannon wins.

Whats likely to happen IMO is O'bannon and NCAA/EA will settle and EA will stop using accurate numbers and physical characteristics for player rosters. This means the QB for Texas A&M wont be a 6 foot white guy with the #15. He will be a 6'6 black guy with the number 17. The editor will remain because there you cant bring a viable claim based on EA giving people the option of changing the attributes of players.

# 395 Mr2Nice @ 07/17/13 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMChrisS


	Because the CLC's job is to license logos and schools, not athletes -- they are not named or liable in any player lawsuits. As EA's statement has already said -- this basically means the NCAA name and logo won't be in the game but that's about it going forward.

So that doesn't mean they can be sued because of player likeness? You know thats the whole reason this lawsuit is in place right? No ones sueing because the NCAA logo. There sueing because college kids are having to pay for a game that they are in. No one cares about the NCAA logo lol.

# 396 Perfect Zero @ 07/17/13 06:50 PM

It's important to note that even though EA can still go through the CLC, CLC does not have the rights to everything currently in the game. Conferences such as the PAC-12 and B1G and Bowls such as the Fiesta are not under their umbrella.

I'm interested by this simply because EA is losing money faster than the black knight lost blood in the Holy Grail. I can't believe that they are going to go out of their way to pull in those that do not fall under the CLC's partnership. Even though CLC has said they will work with EA, it doesn't mean that it's going to happen. I would not in the least bit be surprised if this is the last College Football game for a long while.

# 397 RandyBass @ 07/17/13 06:51 PM

I honestly don't see this effecting much. Considering college sports is pretty much a cash cow for colleges and universities already, with football being the lead horse (or cow?

), I doubt any school with a college football team is going to leave themselves out of any future game.

As long as EA manages to avoid future litigation, i.e. not use any player likeness they don't have the rights to, they should be okay. Though there's also the issue of current litigation, and how that may derail the series, but if they are smart about it and manage to weather the storm then there's no reason a college football game can't be made in the future.

# 398 tsallen89 @ 07/17/13 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Segagendude


	RIP NCAA football. As per the will, it's to be buried alongside NCAA college hoops, as well as college baseball. To quote The Doors: "this is the end, my only friend, the end"....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spanky


	Let's go back to the Bill Walsh College Football days. I want to play with South Bend, Columbus, Tallahassee, Los Angeles and College Station.

That was my first thought too, looks like we will need to buy extra copies to sell them to some desperate people here in a few years. I had to buy NCAA BASKETBALL '10 for like 30 bucks a year ago...

# 399 PVarck31 @ 07/17/13 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perfect Zero


	It's important to note that even though EA can still go through the CLC, CLC does not have the rights to everything currently in the game. Conferences such as the PAC-12 and B1G and Bowls such as the Fiesta are not under their umbrella. I'm interested by this simply because EA is losing money faster than the black knight lost blood in the Holy Grail. I can't believe that they are going to go out of their way to pull in those that do not fall under the CLC's partnership. Even though CLC has said they will work with EA, it doesn't mean that it's going to happen. I would not in the least bit be surprised if this is the last College Football game for a long while.

They just announced there will be a game next year. Next-gen at that.

# 400 Mr2Nice @ 07/17/13 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aholbert32


	Jesus. I wish people understood more about the law. Worse case scenario, Obannon wins a big judgment that is paid out to all current and former college football players. EA and the NCAA appeal. The judgment gets dragged out a few years and either they reach a settlement or the let the appeals process works its way through. Worse case scenario for the game is EA decides to remove the name editor from the game (If EA is stupid). EA, NCAA and CLC all have the right to sell a CF game featuring college teams, uniforms and stadiums. Thats not gonna stop even if O'bannon wins. Whats likely to happen IMO is O'bannon and NCAA/EA will settle and EA will stop using accurate numbers and physical characteristics for player rosters. This means the QB for Texas A&M wont be a 6 foot white guy with the #15. He will be a 6'6 black guy with the number 17. The editor will remain because there you cant bring a viable claim based on EA giving people the option of changing the attributes of players.

I see ur point there. So I think you can say goodbye to the editor then. If NCAA and/or EA have to payout to that many kids past & present. That's a huge chunk of cash! I'm sure they won't want to have to deal with anything like that again.

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