NCAA Football 14 News Post

Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

07:31 PM - August 8, 2014 by RaychelSnr

Judge Claudia Wilkin ruled today that the NCAA is in violation of anti-trust law and must allow players to receive compensation for their names, image, and likenesses being used in various forms of media. This ruling comes a day after the NCAA voted to give the NCAA's five power conferences autonomy to create their own rules, which could lead to player compensation in various forms anyways.

Quote:


	"In a 99-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken issued an injunction �that will enjoin the NCAA from enforcing any rules or bylaws that would prohibit its member schools and conferences from offering their FBS football or Division I basketball recruits a limited share of the revenues generated from the use of their names, images, and likenesses in addition to a full grant-in-aid.� Wilken said the injunction will not prevent the NCAA from implementing rules capping the amount of money that may be paid to college athletes while they are enrolled in school, but the NCAA will not be allowed to set the cap below the cost of attendance. The injunction will also prohibit the NCAA from �enforcing any rules to prevent its member schools and conferences from offering to deposit a limited share of licensing revenue in trust for their FBS football and Division I basketball recruits, payable when they leave school or their eligibility expires,� Wilken wrote. Her injunction will allow the NCAA to set a cap on the money held in that trust, but prohibits the NCAA's cap to be less than $5,000 for every year an athlete remains academically eligible to compete."

This case is far from over however, as many expect it to go all the way to the Supreme Court. For now, the wheels are definitely turning in a direction that could allow college video games to come back into play in a fully licensed and legal basis if everyone so desired -- but it may be a year or two minimum before the legal structures to allow such a return are in place.

Game: NCAA Football 14Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 54 - View All

NCAA Football 14 Videos

Member Comments

# 21 dovuto86 @ 08/08/14 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fballturkey


	If I'm reading that right it's saying that any NCAA cap must be more than $5000. That doesn't mean any particular entity must pay $5000.

The NCAA will pass the 5000 per player fee onto EA/2K and I doubt they will be willing to pay that

# 22 buckeyezombie @ 08/08/14 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dovuto86


	It is now safe to say that there will never be another NCAA licensed game made ever again because it will be way too costly for game developers. I did the math on makin a college basketball game featuring all 144 teams at 16 players a team. it said each player has to be paid at least 5,000 dollars a year. So 5,000 dollars times 16 players on a team equals 11,520,000 dollars and the game most likely wont make that much...A NCAA licensed college football game will cost just as much if not more. I just don't see it happening

I think only 12 are on scholarship per team

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

# 23 loccdogg26 @ 08/08/14 09:06 PM

There are over 300 NCAA Division 1 basketball teams. How did you come up with 144?

# 24 xandermole25 @ 08/08/14 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dovuto86


	The NCAA will pass the 5000 per player fee onto EA/2K and I doubt they will be willing to pay that

you realize a lot of schools really want to pay their players right? also the cap isn't allowed to be lower than $5,000 but if a school offers $1,000 or even nothing and the player accepts that is okay too... the only thing the NCAA can do is punish a team or player for spending/receiving less than $5,000

# 25 Darkeus @ 08/08/14 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dovuto86


	but the NCAA will just pass that fee on to EA/2K and I doubt they are willing to pay that

Highly doubtful. It would come out of the revenue made from game sales and the schools. You are not reading that legal opinion correctly.

# 26 dovuto86 @ 08/08/14 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loccdogg26


	There are over 300 NCAA Division 1 basketball teams. How did you come up with 144?

yeah but not all 300 teams will be featured. I had college hoops 2k8 and there were only 144 teams in that game

# 27 dovuto86 @ 08/08/14 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkeus


	Highly doubtful. It would come out of the revenue made from game sales and the schools. You are not reading that legal opinion correctly.

It is still the same thing though because thats over 10 million dollars lost on the game a year by EA/2k just because they have to pay the players out of what the game made

# 28 xandermole25 @ 08/08/14 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dovuto86


	It is still the same thing though because thats over 10 million dollars lost on the game a year by EA/2k just because they have to pay the players out of what the game made

no it's not... players can be paid no matter whether or not a video game is made so the school's are going to love the revenue stream that is a video game

# 29 barsoffury @ 08/08/14 09:30 PM

This is a big ruling and really a fair and positive one in my opinion but with appeals coming we are still a very long way away from NCAA video games coming back... The biggest thing is that we need the schools/conferences to jump back on board with EA or whoever before games are made again.

# 30 bad_philanthropy @ 08/08/14 09:35 PM

Dovuto, the schools are not going to pass the cost of player "salaries" on to the video game developer in such an explicit or direct manner. As others have said, the revenue stream of selling the license at a market price that will actually be purchased by a developer is desirable.

That said, not only is the money for salaries there already, and this is a matter of distribution, and not additional costs added.

# 31 sra9888 @ 08/08/14 09:36 PM

Those that think this will eliminate future games are not seeing the big picture. The money players can gain come from more than just video games. We are talking Jersey sales, magazine covers, advertising, etc etc.... This doesn't mean EA will pay 5,000 per player, because video games are just a portion of what we are dealing with here.

You will probably see Autograph signing revenue for players factored in with jersey sales, video game likeness, guest appearances at fundraisers, youth camp participation, etc.

# 32 ACardAttack @ 08/08/14 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retropyro


	They don't have to use player names and likeness. Sell the game with random generated players and include an editor.

Your average player though doesn't know or isn't involved with forums where they can find accurate rosters. Joe schmo on the street wants to pop in NCAA and play with a player who plays like, looks like and has the same number as Jamis Winston, not some slow pocket passing QB or what ever

# 33 Gopokes15 @ 08/08/14 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dovuto86


	It is now safe to say that there will never be another NCAA licensed game made ever again because it will be way too costly for game developers. I did the math on makin a college basketball game featuring all 144 teams at 16 players a team. it said each player has to be paid at least 5,000 dollars a year. So 5,000 dollars times 16 players on a team equals 11,520,000 dollars and the game most likely wont make that much...A NCAA licensed college football game will cost just as much if not more. I just don't see it happening

I thought this ruling was a good thing, is it not?

# 34 Gambo187 @ 08/09/14 12:00 AM

The gist is that the universities especially those in the power 5 are going to pay their athletes the $5000 or whatever to secure their ability to use their name and likeliness however they see fit. This will include uniforms, advertisements and of course video games.

The schools are already covered because they will have already paid the players. Whether or not a game or games is produced will be solely based on whether they will be safe from further litigation.

Honestly, the universities get paid when ever their logos etc. are used. They can only profit from a game being produced.

# 35 Cam Fan @ 08/09/14 12:00 AM

I couldn't speak for college basketball, but there's no way EA is going to pass up on the $80M in revenue this game brings in -WITHOUT previously using names. EA has already done the math on this. There WILL be a CFB in the future.

# 36 aholbert32 @ 08/09/14 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gopokes15


	I thought this ruling was a good thing, is it not?

It is a good thing. Dovuto has it wrong. The $5000 isnt coming straight from video games. It comes from any use of a players likeness. That could mean TV or print ads featuring players by the university. That could mean selling Jerseys with the players name and number on it. Video games is only a small part of that and that money will come from the license fees that the conferences charge the developers.

Whats likely to happen is most players will get a 5k stipend in exchange for signing over their likeness rights each year. There will be certain players (like a Manziel or a Winston) who may demand more because their jerseys are generating a ton of revenue. There may be a few players who refuse to sign over their rights at all and they will be left out of the game.

# 37 aholbert32 @ 08/09/14 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gambo187


	The gist is that the universities especially those in the power 5 are going to pay their athletes the $5000 or whatever to secure their ability to use their name and likeliness however they see fit. This will include uniforms, advertisements and of course video games. The schools are already covered because they will have already paid the players. Whether or not a game or games is produced will be solely based on whether they will be safe from further litigation. Honestly, the universities get paid when ever their logos etc. are used. They can only profit from a game being produced.

Exactly. You know how many Winston jerseys FSU will sell now that they can put his name on it. Its a new stream of revenue and they can also increase the price of those jerseys.

I wouldnt expect a game in 15 but I think 16 is a good shot. Gives the conferences time to get these likeness deals in place.

# 38 gator3guy @ 08/09/14 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dovuto86


	yeah but not all 300 teams will be featured. I had college hoops 2k8 and there were only 144 teams in that game

You must have had the bootleg version then.

# 39 RaychelSnr @ 08/09/14 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aholbert32


	It is a good thing. Dovuto has it wrong. The $5000 isnt coming straight from video games. It comes from any use of a players likeness. That could mean TV or print ads featuring players by the university. That could mean selling Jerseys with the players name and number on it. Video games is only a small part of that and that money will come from the license fees that the conferences charge the developers. Whats likely to happen is most players will get a 5k stipend in exchange for signing over their likeness rights each year. There will be certain players (like a Manziel or a Winston) who may demand more because their jerseys are generating a ton of revenue. There may be a few players who refuse to sign over their rights at all and they will be left out of the game.

This man nailed it.

Schools weren't making A LOT of money beforehand from licensing. Most likely any future games will feature the P5 + a few friends, mostly because this ruling all but guarantees that we may see a real split from the NCAA or at least a real split amongst teams. No way New Mexico State, Idaho, North Texas, etc. are going to be able to afford this cost -- but Texas, Washington, Ohio State most certainly will.

# 40 awill25 @ 08/09/14 03:25 AM

The schools will be grouped and sell their liscense as a group. The fee will go into different areas, but a percentage will go into the trust funds that will be paid to players upon graduation.

Read some of Judge Wilkens decision and it is much easier to understand where we are headed. While it may take a few years, College football is more than likely coming back.

« Previous 123 4 5 6 Next »

More Links

Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law