NCAA Football 14 News Post

Peter Moore on NCAA Football, "We'll Be Back"

03:39 PM - August 31, 2016 by RaychelSnr

NCAA Football is always going to have a bit of speculation around when/if/maybe someday it will return.

In an interview with IGN, EA Chief Competition Officer Peter Moore added his voice to the chorus of speculation with a rather optimistic tone.

Check out the quotes from the interview compiled by Polygon's Owen Good:

Quote:


	�NCAA Football became the lightning rod for bigger issues regarding college athletes getting paid for their performance, not only in football but all college sports,� said Moore, who was EA Sports president from 2007 to 2011. �And their likeness. It was a sad day when we realized, �We are in the sights of a number of lawsuits.� A number of athletes which were all combined eventually into one singular suit and said, �That�s me.� When your lawyers� fees are more than the revenue you can expect to get in. "It was an unclear future for us,� Moore said. �It was a really sad day and we said, �We just can�t do this anymore.� And one day I know we�ll be back.

Currently there's still no traction for a game to actually make a comeback since the lawsuit's settlement checks are still going out.

As we've reported in the past, NCAA Football will only make a comeback when the legal structures of the NCAA change to allow players to be paid. A game with generic rosters would still not be a legally viable option and most likely several schools would balk at such an effort anyways -- thus it's unlikely anything but a fully licensed game with real players on real teams will be shipped. EA will almost certainly not pursue a college game of any kind unless there is a zero percent chance of a lawsuit.

So while we appreciate Moore's optimism, it does look like we're still in a holding pattern waiting on the NCAA to do something right.

In other words, the world may look like this before a NCAA Football game ships again.

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Member Comments

# 41 BROman @ 09/09/16 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODogg


	If they can get the NCAA on board. If not I doubt they'd make a game at all. The days of having "South Bend" instead of "Notre Dame" have passed as consumers won't tolerate that I don't think, too used to the real schools.

EA doesn't need the NCAA; EA needs licensing from the schools, conferences, bowls, the CFP, etc. which doesn't come w/ an NCAA license. EA made games w/o the NCAA before (Bill Walsh 95, Coach K CBB, CFUSA '96 & '97) & were prepared to do so again before schools and conferences pulled out of CFB '15. If the schools and conferences hadn't pulled out, EA would still be making a CFB game. School licensing for 2K does provide some hope that we'll get CFB back sooner rather than later.

# 42 TimLawNYC @ 09/12/16 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tessl


	My free advice to EA would be to get their lawyers together with the NCAA lawyers and request clarification in advance of making a game from the courts on what would pass legal muster. That way no surprises. Show the judge(s) in advance the algorithm used to generate player likenesses and names. Get clarification on the amount of editing allowed. Get everything cleared in advance to avoid a lawsuit. The courts need to more than just issue edicts to be followed. The courts need to be partners in moving things forward to achieve a solution.

EA can't just work with the courts to make this happen; courts don't work that way. The type of preliminary approval you're talking about would require EA to actually bring its own lawsuit for a declaratory judgment that it isn't using any player's likeness, but there would be a whole host of legal problems with that kind of suit here, and it's unlikely that any court would be willing to issue such a decision in the abstract. Courts generally decide disputes between parties; they aren't legal consultants that help you figure out what's legal and what isn't (that's what lawyers are for).

# 43 tessl @ 09/14/16 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimLawNYC


	EA can't just work with the courts to make this happen; courts don't work that way. The type of preliminary approval you're talking about would require EA to actually bring its own lawsuit for a declaratory judgment that it isn't using any player's likeness, but there would be a whole host of legal problems with that kind of suit here, and it's unlikely that any court would be willing to issue such a decision in the abstract. Courts generally decide disputes between parties; they aren't legal consultants that help you figure out what's legal and what isn't (that's what lawyers are for).

It would be worth a try. Is it really abstract? It has already been in the courts, this would simply be asking for clarification.

# 44 fballturkey @ 09/15/16 12:16 PM

What EA needs the NCAA to do is allow players to be compensated for their likeness. Then they could write some checks and get all the rights they need to make a game that is not only totally legal but also has actual player names when it ships.

# 45 seasprite @ 09/15/16 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fballturkey


	What EA needs the NCAA to do is allow players to be compensated for their likeness. Then they could write some checks and get all the rights they need to make a game that is not only totally legal but also has actual player names when it ships.

Kinduv destroys the whole amateur thing in college sports. Can't just pay college football players for their likeness.

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# 46 fballturkey @ 09/15/16 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seasprite


	Kinduv destroys the whole amateur thing in college sports. Can't just pay college football players for their likeness. Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

You're assuming the amateur thing in college sports is worth saving. To a degree I don't think it is, and I think it was already destroyed as soon as recruiting for sports (and especially relaxing admissions criteria for athletes) began. Now we've got a worst of both worlds where the NCAA, formerly EA, and some schools are making lots of money while the people responsible for that money being made aren't compensated at all.

I'm not necessarily arguing for paying the athletes directly, but I do think it's extremely unfair to tell them "we're going to make millions off of jerseys with your number, selling TV contracts to watch you play, ticket sales, etc but you're not allowed to accept a couple thousand (or hundred) for a videogame maker to put you in a game." Why not?

# 47 redsox4evur @ 09/15/16 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fballturkey


	You're assuming the amateur thing in college sports is worth saving. To a degree I don't think it is, and I think it was already destroyed as soon as recruiting for sports (and especially relaxing admissions criteria for athletes) began. Now we've got a worst of both worlds where the NCAA, formerly EA, and some schools are making lots of money while the people responsible for that money being made aren't compensated at all. I'm not necessarily arguing for paying the athletes directly, but I do think it's extremely unfair to tell them "we're going to make millions off of jerseys with your number, selling TV contracts to watch you play, ticket sales, etc but you're not allowed to accept a couple thousand (or hundred) for a videogame maker to put you in a game." Why not?

The NCAA thinks it worth saving. So, college athletes aren't getting paid anytime soon.

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# 48 kehlis @ 09/15/16 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redsox4evur


	The NCAA thinks it worth saving. So, college athletes aren't getting paid anytime soon. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No they don't, the NCAA doesn't care at all about "amateur status" as it has no bearing to them whatsoever.

# 49 redsox4evur @ 09/15/16 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kehlis


	No they don't, the NCAA doesn't care at all about "amateur status" as it has no bearing to them whatsoever.

Then why do they have rules where students can't get any money for anything they do in college? And why are they so hesitant to pay players?

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# 50 fballturkey @ 09/15/16 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redsox4evur


	Then why do they have rules where students can't get any money for anything they do in college? And why are they so hesitant to pay players? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The second one is pretty easy to answer. If you had a bunch of people working for you and making you money and they made a little bit of money (and some even did it for free) how eager would you be to start paying them more?

The first part is trickier but I've always assumed it was part of the charade that makes the second part (not splitting the money with them directly) seem more consistent. There are alternate explinations that could be made though, like the fact that players going to one school versus another due to getting paid more is something that would probably hurt college football's (completely made up) image and allowing boosters to sign them to endorsement deals and the like would make that inevitable.

I mean, it's already inevitable, but it'd make it obvious.

# 51 kehlis @ 09/15/16 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redsox4evur


	Then why do they have rules where students can't get any money for anything they do in college? And why are they so hesitant to pay players? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

First, student/athletes do get money, I was handed cash for every away trip as a d3 baseball player at a small school for every away trip as a stipend. If I didn't need to use it that cash went straight into my pocket.

And I never said they were hesitant to pay players, I replied to your comment that they care about "amateur status."

Like anything in life, it's about money. If student/athletes are given a cut of any sort then they are losing some of their income.

My response to you was about the fact that they could care less about the integrity of amateur status.

# 52 itsbigmike @ 09/16/16 12:31 AM

If the NCAA cares that much about "amateur status" why do they allow olympians to make money while being in college and it not impacting their amateur status?

Link.

Some of them are students making monthly incomes while training for the olympics and they get the money they make during the olympics as well.

# 53 tessl @ 09/16/16 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fballturkey


	You're assuming the amateur thing in college sports is worth saving. To a degree I don't think it is, and I think it was already destroyed as soon as recruiting for sports (and especially relaxing admissions criteria for athletes) began. Now we've got a worst of both worlds where the NCAA, formerly EA, and some schools are making lots of money while the people responsible for that money being made aren't compensated at all. I'm not necessarily arguing for paying the athletes directly, but I do think it's extremely unfair to tell them "we're going to make millions off of jerseys with your number, selling TV contracts to watch you play, ticket sales, etc but you're not allowed to accept a couple thousand (or hundred) for a videogame maker to put you in a game." Why not?

If you look at the bottom line of most university athletic department budgets they don't make a big profit. Some lose money. The compensation comes in the form of things other than a paycheck.

I live in CoMO and I've been to the Missouri football facilities. The football players are pampered beyond anything I could have dreamed of at their age. Housing, meals, tuition, supplements personal trainers, state of the art facilities, every thing anybody could ask for. If they have any smarts they should end up with a solid degree from a major university which they can use to make a lot of money.

If you took all those benefits away and gave them $50,000 dollars a year they would quickly discover they were better off with the benefits and no paycheck.

# 54 redsox4evur @ 09/16/16 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tessl


	If you look at the bottom line of most university athletic department budgets they don't make a big profit. Some lose money. The compensation comes in the form of things other than a paycheck. I live in CoMO and I've been to the Missouri football facilities. The football players are pampered beyond anything I could have dreamed of at their age. Housing, meals, tuition, supplements personal trainers, state of the art facilities, every thing anybody could ask for. If they have any smarts they should end up with a solid degree from a major university which they can use to make a lot of money. If you took all those benefits away and gave them $50,000 dollars a year they would quickly discover they were better off with the benefits and no paycheck.

Some??? 90% of the college athletic departments lose money. I think only 12 college athletic departments actually make money.

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# 55 itsbigmike @ 09/16/16 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tessl


	If you look at the bottom line of most university athletic department budgets they don't make a big profit. Some lose money. The compensation comes in the form of things other than a paycheck. I live in CoMO and I've been to the Missouri football facilities. The football players are pampered beyond anything I could have dreamed of at their age. Housing, meals, tuition, supplements personal trainers, state of the art facilities, every thing anybody could ask for. If they have any smarts they should end up with a solid degree from a major university which they can use to make a lot of money. If you took all those benefits away and gave them $50,000 dollars a year they would quickly discover they were better off with the benefits and no paycheck.

No one is ever better off with less money. And the problem with them "getting a solid degree from a major university" is that many universities push players into terrible degrees that are easy or their coursework is lightened or the degrees just plain don't matter. And in a time when the business world is shift away from "do you have a four-year degree?" to "do you have a master's degree?", it's a big, big problem to just assume that getting the degree is automatically going to make them "a lot of money."

# 56 tessl @ 09/16/16 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsbigmike


	No one is ever better off with less money. And the problem with them "getting a solid degree from a major university" is that many universities push players into terrible degrees that are easy or their coursework is lightened or the degrees just plain don't matter. And in a time when the business world is shift away from "do you have a four-year degree?" to "do you have a master's degree?", it's a big, big problem to just assume that getting the degree is automatically going to make them "a lot of money."

You miss the point. The athletes are given the best thing they could be given - opportunity. If they fail to take advantage of that opportunity whose fault is that?

Athletic departments don't have the money to pay players and give them the pampered treatment they currently get. Which current benefits would you take away in exchange for the cash?

# 57 sXeInYoFace @ 09/16/16 08:48 PM

no one is holding a gun to the heads of these kids. if they feel they get mistreated by the ncaa or their respective school by not getting paid, don't play for them and leave. so the schools do make millions off their jersey sales or tv appearances, is that fair? no, it is not, but neither is life, and if anybody told you life was fair lied to you. our soldiers get paid next to nothing to fight and die for our country and athletes get all riled up for free tuition, a top notch education, meals, room and board and so on. the same goes for kaepernick and all those fools kneeling during our National Anthem. don't like it? leave. but that is a total different subject that i probably shouldnt have even mentioned because it has no place on these forums. that just bothers me to no end. sorry for the rant.

# 58 jerwoods @ 09/16/16 11:41 PM

here what needs to happen

1 cut roster share out i would hate that but its seems like a fair choice

2 keep Edit player in the game but put it in Dyn mode

3 try to get every school + 1-aa in the game only thing u would change is Bowl names CFP name

how i wouild sell it is

College Football returns to PS4 XBOX 1 with 250+ teams CFP all new graphics 5 commenty teams
1 Folwer/Krik H / Ponder
2 G Johnson/Cdavis
3 R Davis/m brown D pollak
4 Joe Tess Blackange
5Nessler/danleson/lafroce

score bugs from ESPN CBS CBS Sports Network FOX NBC ND Home Games only Gereic

Over 40 real FCS stadiums all 130 FBS stadiums

# 59 freddyflash205 @ 09/17/16 01:22 AM

I think it's dumb most of those college players played the game themselves

# 60 tessl @ 09/17/16 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sXeInYoFace


	no one is holding a gun to the heads of these kids. if they feel they get mistreated by the ncaa or their respective school by not getting paid, don't play for them and leave. so the schools do make millions off their jersey sales or tv appearances, is that fair? no, it is not, but neither is life, and if anybody told you life was fair lied to you. our soldiers get paid next to nothing to fight and die for our country and athletes get all riled up for free tuition, a top notch education, meals, room and board and so on. the same goes for kaepernick and all those fools kneeling during our National Anthem. don't like it? leave. but that is a total different subject that i probably shouldnt have even mentioned because it has no place on these forums. that just bothers me to no end. sorry for the rant.

I live in CoMO and the Missouri football team made news last year when thirty two members of the team went on strike. You know how many transferred? Zero. If it was really so bad at Missouri to cause me to go on strike I'd be looking to transfer but none of them did. Recruiting which was already near the bottom of the SEC is now even worse as many recruits have crossed Missouri off their list.

These guys are pampered, spoiled and seek attention. Maybe if and when EA gets another football game they could incorporate "keeping the players happy/motivated" into the game as part of the coaching tree.

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Peter Moore on NCAA Football, "We'll Be Back"