NCAA Football 14 News Post

SEC, Pac-12, Big Ten Won't License Trademarks in Future Video Games

11:56 AM - August 14, 2013 by vhhsfu0509

The Southeastern Conference announced today that it will not, as a conference, license its trademarks in the EA Sports NCAA Football video game. This decision does not involve member universities as of yet, as this only involves the SEC conference name and logo.

However, this could be the type of event that opens the flood gates to future defections from the game. While the future of the College Football series looked somewhat on stable ground after EA and the CLC agreed to a three year deal, this news rattles the very foundations and future of the series.

"Each school makes its own individual decision regarding whether or not to license their trademarks for use in the EA Sports game(s)," the SEC said in a statement. "The Southeastern Conference has chosen not to do so moving forward. Neither the SEC, its member universities, nor the NCAA have ever licensed the right to use the name or likeness of any student to EA Sports."

This is another move in response to the Ed O'Bannon case which could end collegiate video games forever given unfavorable rulings from the courts.

Today's news only brings more questions as to the viability of the product going forward.

UPDATE: ESPN's Kristi Dosh is reporting that the Big XII says they have yet to make a decision on the inclusion of their marks in future College Football video games.

UPDATE #2: ESPN is now reporting the Big Ten is out as well.

UPDATE #3: In a statement to Joystiq, a CLC representative said "150 collegiate institutions, including SEC schools, have approved renewal of the EA college football license, to begin with the 2015 edition. As with any licensed product, individual schools continue to make their own decisions."

We are putting in a question with the CLC on whether this means schools can still opt out of the game at any time or not as the wording certainly seems to leave that possibility open.

Update #4: Jeremy Fowler of CBS is reporting that the Pac-12's marks also won't be in the new game.

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Member Comments

# 241 ncaa98 @ 08/14/13 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenGerman


	Wait, what? If I am using your likeness to make money (which the NCAA does), would you or would you not feel entitled to some of that money. I know I would. Being a student athlete is the only job in the country that you aren't allowed to make money off of. It's stupid, and just about everyone is beginning to acknowledge that. Like I said, everyone should go check out the Jay Bilas thing from the other day. How is that even fair for those players?

You miss the point. NCAA football does not use the likeness of the women's gymnastic team.

# 242 phantomremix @ 08/14/13 06:12 PM

Give me a fully customizable football game with a webpage interface for building team, schools, logos, conferences, player names ect all transferable if you make your creations public (like a teambuilder website on crack)... The ability to have the leagues you build change over the course of their life times. I could set high school rules, College rules, Pro football rules. Create a stadium builder/Generator. I would take this over any licensed games any day.

# 243 awill25 @ 08/14/13 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mva5580


	I'm not saying that there aren't legitimate points in there, but seriously. What's your solution? I've yet to see an idea that doesn't cause more problems than it solves.

And I'm not saying I have the solution, but the current model is no longer working. Title IX is a HUGE HUGE problem. The intent of that is abused every single day. Look at all of the male track and field teams across the country that have been eliminated....because of Title IX. And to be honest, Thinking that Alabama and a school like UAB should be on a "level playing field" is also a complete joke. Those schools aren't equal, so why make them equal.

At the end of the day, people have finally figured out the NCAA is a huge cash cow and they aren't having it anymore. And to me, it's a larger problem the way it is than the way it could be.......Like Bama, LSU, and the boys arent paying kids already.....I hope no one believes that.

# 244 awill25 @ 08/14/13 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soonerfan09


	exactly how much money does the "ncaa" make. if you mean universities that is one thing, but the "ncaa" according to what ive seen, only takes about 4 to 5% of the money. put the blame where it belongs, the universities.

March Madness made over 1 billion last year......And I promise the Unviersites arent collecting that much in royalties.....I work at one.

# 245 Swamp Swagger @ 08/14/13 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xcrushx


	Couldn't we end all of this if we just pay the players? It's starting to get a little silly as to how far we are willing to go just to avoid paying players.

No, and its not that simple as simply handing out some cash. Not every player is a star and many many players sit on the bench.

Not to mention not all schools are just flowing with money like the big ones are. Maryland just as a example lost 20 something million dollars last year and are in debt just like many other schools.

That all being said it sure seems to be a sad day for the college football game. I've been playing there games as far back as I can remember good or bad

# 246 GisherJohn24 @ 08/14/13 06:19 PM

Team creator and roster share fixes all problems with this or am I missing something?

# 247 mva5580 @ 08/14/13 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awill25


	And to be honest, Thinking that Alabama and a school like UAB should be on a "level playing field" is also a complete joke. Those schools aren't equal, so why make them equal.

Here in lies the problem with the whole thing. The first question people have to ask is do you WANT them to be "equal?" Because if the answer is yes, then you can't do down the route of paying players. Ever. Because once you get into that, it's game over for the smaller schools. Any kind of system put in place to compensate players outside of a scholarship will open up so many loop-holes, so many ways for people to work around it, etc, that the schools with unlimited funds and unlimited network of boosters, alumni, and whatever else will just completely run over the schools who don't have that.

Now if someone is of the opinion that you don't care whether or not things are trying to be equal....then so be it. But at that point you're essentially talking about squeezing out close to half of the teams that are in the NCAA right now (football) and the rest basically being told "You can't play with us anymore." So are people ok with that? Would they care if the SEC/Big 12/Big 10/ACC/Pac 12/Notre Dame essentially split from the NCAA and formed their own football league and started paying their players? If you answer Yes to that, then I guess all options are on the table in regards to paying players. If you answer No to that.....then I'm just not seeing a pay-for-play system that solves more problems than it creates.

# 248 lere2001 @ 08/14/13 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awill25


	It's sickening really.....how much the NCAA makes off of college athletes. Anyone who argues that college athletes should not be financially compensated automatically loses credibility to me. Free education blah blah blah.....If that's the argument then a kid on scholarship in the band should not be allowed to make money using his musical talents while in school. SAME THING! And because the NCAA is a sham, we are going to lose a great video game. It's not EA! The real criminal is the NCAA. I 100% agree with O'Bannon. We are just caught in the crosshairs of a storm!

It's not just that the NCAA is capitalizing on the player's assets, aren't the student athletes capitalizing on the NCAA's assets as well? Training facilities, meals via professional nutritionists, exposure and media attention (Which is huge), and a platform to propel themselves into professional sports. They don't need to play college sports? If they want to get paid and play football after high school, the CFL doesn't have an age requirement. If they want to get paid and play basketball, the Italian Leagues don't either. And after that they can enter the NFL/NBA draft. The biggest asset playing college ball gives you is that exposure that is more valuable than anything. They need to stop complaining.

# 249 awill25 @ 08/14/13 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soonerfan09


	playing devils advocate here but if these schools that are cutting track and field programs took some money away from football couldnt they then afford track and field

Nothing to do with finances. Everything to do with Title IX.

# 250 aholbert32 @ 08/14/13 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Husker_OS


	To blow your mind.. The founder and former CEO of CLC is the current AD at Alabama.

Mind blown. LOL.

# 251 kbones21 @ 08/14/13 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Playmaker76


	Thinking EXTREMELY optimistically about this, they could just do what PES does and make the generic teams COMPLETELY customizable to the point of importing the official logos, fight songs, uniforms, etc. into the game. Sadly there is a better chance of Half life 3 releasing as an XBOX One exclusive in 2015.

or just releasing Half Life 3 in general.

# 252 Ziza9Noles94 @ 08/14/13 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GisherJohn24


	Team creator and roster share fixes all problems with this or am I missing something?

While many of us here would buy that game, I doubt enough people would buy it to justify, the development, marketing, and whatever other dollars would go into producing such a game. I'd like to be wrong about that, as I would definitely buy a generic, fully customizable game. But the reality is it wouldn't sell all that well and would probably be a one and done. Where is the sound business sense in doing that?

# 253 ncaa98 @ 08/14/13 06:26 PM

Maybe Manziel and his oil money can go after Title IX. Talk about unfair. Where are the the Title IX people on this? They are the reason the players that generate the money can't be paid. Maybe Title IX is unconstitutional...

# 254 BA2929 @ 08/14/13 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awill25


	Nothing to do with finances. Everything to do with Title IX.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncaa98


	Maybe Manziel and his oil money can go after Title IX. Talk about unfair. Where are the the Title IX people on this? They are the reason the players that generate the money can't be paid. Maybe Title IX is unconstitutional...

I'd rather live in a world where women athletes have equal opportunities than live in a world where a few college football players make a few extra hundred bucks.

Quit it with the Title IX stuff.

# 255 awill25 @ 08/14/13 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lere2001


	It's not just that the NCAA is capitalizing on the player's assets, aren't the student athletes capitalizing on the NCAA's assets as well? Training facilities, meals via professional nutritionists, exposure and media attention (Which is huge), and a platform to propel themselves into professional sports. They don't need to play college sports? If they want to get paid and play football after high school, the CFL doesn't have an age requirement. If they want to get paid and play basketball, the Italian Leagues don't either. And after that they can enter the NFL/NBA draft. The biggest asset playing college ball gives you is that exposure that is more valuable than anything. They need to stop complaining.

The average college athlete's scholarship with everything included averages out to be about $120,000 a year. Studies have been done showing the average college basketball player is worth over $250,000 in his career.

Not saying you don't make good points. But I think it's unfair to say the kids are getting the same level of benefit as the school/NCAA. Again, if the kid on a scholarship in the band can make money playing at a local bar or selling a CD, what is different about that than a basketball/football player making outside money for their ability? That's the main reason we have to pay players (legally)

# 256 fidzilla @ 08/14/13 06:30 PM

Paying players also brings up the issue of public schools who have to get their budget approved by government vs private schools who answer to no one. What really needs to happen is the ncaa needs to get out of the business of being a developmental league for the nfl and the nba.

# 257 Swamp Swagger @ 08/14/13 06:31 PM

I also highly doubt every single school could afford the same payment towards players even if they did start doing that.

All it would do is force players to pick a bigger school because they would get paid more there. Along with some players being stars would they get payed more than a bench player?

# 258 ncaa98 @ 08/14/13 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA2929


	I'd rather live in a world where women athletes have equal opportunities than live in a world where a few college football players make a few extra hundred bucks. Quit it with the Title IX stuff.

That's called Socialism my friend and it does exist in this world. You should move to a socialistic country and tell me how you like it then.

# 259 awill25 @ 08/14/13 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA2929


	I'd rather live in a world where women athletes have equal opportunities than live in a world where a few college football players make a few extra hundred bucks. Quit it with the Title IX stuff.

The truth about the matter is it no longer serves the purpose it was intended for. I am all for equality, but cutting male track and field to get the correct ratio of male to female athletes at a school so that you are in compliance with Title IX is a problem. If people don't see this, we aren't on the same page obviously.

# 260 ncaa98 @ 08/14/13 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soonerfan09


	i know a few middle eastern countries that agree with you. of course they wipe their backsides with their hands too.

So your happy we don't have a game anymore?

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