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

# 401 aholbert32 @ 08/15/13 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LastExit


	With all due respect to the author of that article, I'll wait to hear it straight from EA before I believe it. The SEC was out but now they are back in? I guess that that could be a legal thing (they already committed to be in the 2015 game) but at this point who knows.....a good question would be at what point does EA need a firm commitment from conferences and schools before the game goes into development. At some point they would have to tell schools and conferences that their either in or out.

Owen Good is one of the most reliable writers in sports gaming. If he reports it I believe it.

# 402 bad_philanthropy @ 08/15/13 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aholbert32


	Owen Good is one of the most reliable writers in sports gaming. If he reports it I believe it.

No doubt. He has the connections, and he's a legit fan of the series. He wouldn't report it if he was unsure, and wouldn't be confused about any information.

# 403 LastExit @ 08/15/13 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aholbert32


	Owen Good is one of the most reliable writers in sports gaming. If he reports it I believe it.

Thanks.....I had never heard of that website before I clicked on the link.

I hope this is right, but when the NCAA dropped out the conventional wisdom was that EA would have a deal with the CLC but each member would ultimately get to make its own decision. I find it hard to believe that the Athletic Director of the University of Washington would be overridden by underlings but who knows.

# 404 CrimsontideuA @ 08/15/13 11:54 PM

Has this become a lawsuit nation? A simple video game can not escape this stuff.

# 405 Jeff George @ 08/15/13 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aholbert32


	http://kotaku.com/source-eas-next-co...ose-1151470614 ....but there are hundreds of posts in this thread that say the game is dead. So many people and here said that the loss of the league logos would lead to the end of the series. They couldnt have possibly been wrong, could they?

As the article suggests with Washington and the SEC, it's entirely possible that there are contractual obligations keeping schools/conferences in the game for next year's edition.

# 406 aholbert32 @ 08/16/13 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LastExit


	Thanks.....I had never heard of that website before I clicked on the link. I hope this is right, but when the NCAA dropped out the conventional wisdom was that EA would have a deal with the CLC but each member would ultimately get to make its own decision. I find it hard to believe that the Athletic Director of the University of Washington would be overridden by underlings but who knows.

They arent underlings. He's not overridden. The Univ already committed to being in next years game before he made his comment.

# 407 aholbert32 @ 08/16/13 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrimsontideuA


	Has this become a lawsuit nation? A simple video game can not escape this stuff.

Its no different than before. Lets be clear. Everyone has a point here. The players have a legit argument that their likenesses are being used in the game w/o permission. The schools, EA and the NCAA have a legit argument that they signed away their likeness rights when they signed the letter of intent and accepted the scholarship. This isnt a frivolous lawsuit. Its a legit claim that a court should hear.

# 408 nikka @ 08/16/13 12:17 AM

rip 10char

# 409 stoncold32 @ 08/16/13 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goillini03


	"We aren't missing out on much...". Are you serious?

Dead serious.

this series is not on the level of NBA 2K, or The Show.

For what this series is worth, you pay $60 for the game and just hope that the myriad of issues aren't unplayable, and then add in the things EA told you they were fixing and did not.......and then hope EA drops a patch. Then hope that patch doesn't break anything else. This is the case year after year.

Put down your college footbal fanship and look at this thing realistically.

If this series never put out another game we're not exactly missing out on anything anywhere near great.

and just as a reminder, I've been here on OS since 2002, SOLELY for this game, for much of that time. This series is the reason why I bought a PS3.

But a spade is a spade.

# 410 DJ @ 08/16/13 12:51 AM

While Owen's article is Good (see what I did there?), there's still a lot of moving pieces to this. Contracts are contracts so I'm sure other conferences and schools are looking at expiration dates. Conferences and schools could state after 2014 they are not going to renew their deal.

Of course, the O'Bannon case will be the biggest piece of this puzzle.

# 411 Cryolemon @ 08/16/13 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrimsontideuA


	Has this become a lawsuit nation? A simple video game can not escape this stuff.

I think the US became a lawsuit nation long ago. The UK is no better.

# 412 Cardot @ 08/16/13 12:55 PM

Sorry if this has been covered....but could they go the full Custom/Share route? They already have Team Builider....they could enhance that a bit and add a Conference Buildier, Bowl Builder etc? Or is the assumption that most people outside of OS don't have the patience for that?

And are there any liscensing precedents in video games with users creating thier own logos/names? And sharing them as long as there is no profit?

# 413 tessl @ 08/16/13 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cryolemon


	I think the US became a lawsuit nation long ago. The UK is no better.

Right, and how many game developers and others who package and retail the game will take a hit to their finances because a guy like O'Bannon who had a free college education and who played pro basketball for 10 years (what did he do with the money?) wants to cash in?

How about getting a job like everybody else?

Rant over.

# 414 ncaa98 @ 08/16/13 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cardot


	Sorry if this has been covered....but could they go the full Custom/Share route? They already have Team Builider....they could enhance that a bit and add a Conference Buildier, Bowl Builder etc? Or is the assumption that most people outside of OS don't have the patience for that? And are there any liscensing precedents in video games with users creating thier own logos/names? And sharing them as long as there is no profit?

^^^^^^^^^^^This!

# 415 Cryolemon @ 08/16/13 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tessl


	Right, and how many game developers and others who package and retail the game will take a hit to their finances because a guy like O'Bannon who had a free college education and who played pro basketball for 10 years (what did he do with the money?) wants to cash in? How about getting a job like everybody else? Rant over.

I'm not arguing that O'Bannon is acting like a spoiled brat.

# 416 tessl @ 08/16/13 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cryolemon


	I'm not arguing that O'Bannon is acting like a spoiled brat.

I understand that, I should have been more clear. I was criticizing O'Bannon, not you.

# 417 kingkilla56 @ 08/16/13 08:12 PM

Man all this because EA wouldnt just 100% randomize numbers and physical attributes of players on NCAA titles?

# 418 sunless @ 08/16/13 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stoncold32


	Dead serious. this series is not on the level of NBA 2K, or The Show. For what this series is worth, you pay $60 for the game and just hope that the myriad of issues aren't unplayable, and then add in the things EA told you they were fixing and did not.......and then hope EA drops a patch. Then hope that patch doesn't break anything else. This is the case year after year. Put down your college footbal fanship and look at this thing realistically. If this series never put out another game we're not exactly missing out on anything anywhere near great. and just as a reminder, I've been here on OS since 2002, SOLELY for this game, for much of that time. This series is the reason why I bought a PS3. But a spade is a spade.

completely agree, this series has been stuck in mediocrity since '06

# 419 NATIONofAmbition @ 08/19/13 08:59 AM

Well that's going to make NCAA Football lose some of its appeal.

# 420 XXstormmXX @ 08/19/13 10:43 AM

EA could do like PES and use fake leagues. Like the BIG 10 could become the 10 Conference.

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