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NCAA Football 14 News Post

Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

  04:08 PM - October 3, 2016 by RaychelSnr


The future of college sports video games is murky at best after the Supreme Court refused to hear the Ed O'Bannon case.

At this point, that means the O'Bannon case as currently decided is how things are. At this time the ruling stands as follows (Per the USA Today article linked above):

Quote:
"Instead, Monday’s decision leaves intact the 9th Circuit’s dual rulings that:
  • The NCAA’s regulations are subject to antitrust scrutiny, and rules limiting football and men’s basketball players to receiving tuition, fees, room, board and books violate antitrust laws.
  • While antitrust law requires that schools be allowed to provide these athletes with scholarships that cover all of their costs of attending college, including travel and personal incidentals, “it does not require more,” such as what it termed “cash sums untethered to educational expenses.”"
Just over a month after Peter Moore declared that 'we'll be back' when it comes to NCAA Football, the future of college sports video games seems murky and uncertain.

For college video games to return will require a couple of things.

First, EA (or another publisher) will have to know there is no threat of litigation to proceed. Second, schools will want to know there is no threat of litigation to proceed as well.

Several schools began to pull out of EA's next gen college football title at the end, and that was one of several items which led EA to scrap the title. In an era of video games where people obsess over the authenticity of shoes and haircuts, having generic teams (and players) seems like a hard thing to sell.

What would lead to a game being possible is likely a resolution from the NCAA and member schools allowing players to get money for licensing their image -- which it seems there isn't much movement on at this time. While its a good thought to think that people would buy a game with generic teams and players with customization -- those types of games have never sold enough in the marketplace to justify high development costs required of AAA sports titles in 2016.

In short, without a way to license players officially (along with schools) its doubtful we see college sports games return to consoles.

Game: NCAA Football 14Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
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Member Comments
# 41 BROman @ 10/07/16 01:25 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheShizNo1
I think we're overestimating how in demand a CFB game. Most people just bought it to hold them over until Madden.
Regardless of why people bought it, people bought it. Compared to Madden, the numbers aren't great, but the game sold about 2 million copies a year, which isn't chump change.
 
# 42 Cam Fan @ 10/07/16 09:02 PM
I have a hunch...just a hunch that EA will attempt SOMETHING in the next few years even if they can't secure the likenesses. I think their itch to have a game is just as strong as our itch to buy a game. They may very well attempt the Bill Walsh model or some comparable model. This is the same company with the enormous ego that still thinks it can sell NBA Live...so there's that. Again just a hunch but I think we will see something on the market within two years.
 
# 43 Mike Lowe @ 10/07/16 09:33 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam Fan
I have a hunch...just a hunch that EA will attempt SOMETHING in the next few years even if they can't secure the likenesses. I think their itch to have a game is just as strong as our itch to buy a game. They may very well attempt the Bill Walsh model or some comparable model. This is the same company with the enormous ego that still thinks it can sell NBA Live...so there's that. Again just a hunch but I think we will see something on the market within two years.
I actually agree with this just about to a "t." Anyone who dismisses the notion with "It's just not going to happen" isn't thinking very hard about it.

The dust always settles...
 
# 44 brianski71 @ 10/11/16 09:59 PM
I just don't understand why they can't go the NHL/CHL route and license their likenesses without compensation. That's exactly how EA has all of the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL players in the game. The vast majority of them are teenagers. They aren't professional. The only money they receive is a small stipend for living expenses as they live with host families. When EA included the CHL teams in the game many years back, the league labeled it as "a way to promote the league," (I'm paraphrasing) rather than a source of revenue. Considering the fact that it seems the VAST majority of actual NCAA players really want the game back, regardless of seeing a dime for their likeness, couldn't this be a similar route to a game? I played division III college football. Every summer when we came in, we had a team meeting to fill out and submit a slew of NCAA paperwork. Couldn't they slip in a sheet for each player to sign off on his license being used within the game only? Seems like an extremely simple solution. If any player balked at the notion, they'd be left out, a la Michael Jordan on the early NBA Lives and Jim Kelly, Randall Cunningham, and Bernie Kosar on Tecmo Super Bowl. I can't imagine many 18-22 year olds would say no to being featured on a video game, even if they aren't getting paid. Everyone wins. The schools, conferences, NCAA, and EA cash out. The kids (the vast majority of which will never be featured in Madden) get to be legitimately in a game. And we all get our game back. I'm no lawyer. But it seems an awful simple fix. And there's already precedent within the EA brand.
 
# 45 itsbigmike @ 10/11/16 11:13 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by brianski71
I just don't understand why they can't go the NHL/CHL route and license their likenesses without compensation. That's exactly how EA has all of the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL players in the game. The vast majority of them are teenagers. They aren't professional. The only money they receive is a small stipend for living expenses as they live with host families. When EA included the CHL teams in the game many years back, the league labeled it as "a way to promote the league," (I'm paraphrasing) rather than a source of revenue. Considering the fact that it seems the VAST majority of actual NCAA players really want the game back, regardless of seeing a dime for their likeness, couldn't this be a similar route to a game? I played division III college football. Every summer when we came in, we had a team meeting to fill out and submit a slew of NCAA paperwork. Couldn't they slip in a sheet for each player to sign off on his license being used within the game only? Seems like an extremely simple solution. If any player balked at the notion, they'd be left out, a la Michael Jordan on the early NBA Lives and Jim Kelly, Randall Cunningham, and Bernie Kosar on Tecmo Super Bowl. I can't imagine many 18-22 year olds would say no to being featured on a video game, even if they aren't getting paid. Everyone wins. The schools, conferences, NCAA, and EA cash out. The kids (the vast majority of which will never be featured in Madden) get to be legitimately in a game. And we all get our game back. I'm no lawyer. But it seems an awful simple fix. And there's already precedent within the EA brand.
...For the same reason the NHL series doesn't have any kids in it while they're still playing college hockey.
 
# 46 mercalnd @ 10/12/16 09:22 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by brianski71
I just don't understand why they can't go the NHL/CHL route and license their likenesses without compensation. That's exactly how EA has all of the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL players in the game. The vast majority of them are teenagers. They aren't professional. The only money they receive is a small stipend for living expenses as they live with host families. When EA included the CHL teams in the game many years back, the league labeled it as "a way to promote the league," (I'm paraphrasing) rather than a source of revenue. Considering the fact that it seems the VAST majority of actual NCAA players really want the game back, regardless of seeing a dime for their likeness, couldn't this be a similar route to a game? I played division III college football. Every summer when we came in, we had a team meeting to fill out and submit a slew of NCAA paperwork. Couldn't they slip in a sheet for each player to sign off on his license being used within the game only? Seems like an extremely simple solution. If any player balked at the notion, they'd be left out, a la Michael Jordan on the early NBA Lives and Jim Kelly, Randall Cunningham, and Bernie Kosar on Tecmo Super Bowl. I can't imagine many 18-22 year olds would say no to being featured on a video game, even if they aren't getting paid. Everyone wins. The schools, conferences, NCAA, and EA cash out. The kids (the vast majority of which will never be featured in Madden) get to be legitimately in a game. And we all get our game back. I'm no lawyer. But it seems an awful simple fix. And there's already precedent within the EA brand.
CHL players are allowed to have endrosement deals too. It
 
# 47 Critical Kills @ 10/12/16 11:01 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by goillini03
I am not sure that I buy this. It always felt to me that people were a Madden or an NCAA fan. Did some buy NCAA to hold the over, sure. Did EA make more money because if that, yes.
Nope, it's definitely not true. I've been a sports gamer for a long time and everyone I know of enjoyed and played NCAA far more than Madden. All of my dynasties I run were NCAA, not Madden. The guys I know from my league play Madden sporadically but instead of having 10 guys in my Madden franchise like I did in NCAA, we only have 3.

So the idea that NCAA was just some placeholder is only true for NFL fans. The majority of people I know were, and are, all about NCAA!
 
# 48 wolverinemaniac @ 10/12/16 04:24 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ODogg
Nope, it's definitely not true. I've been a sports gamer for a long time and everyone I know of enjoyed and played NCAA far more than Madden. All of my dynasties I run were NCAA, not Madden. The guys I know from my league play Madden sporadically but instead of having 10 guys in my Madden franchise like I did in NCAA, we only have 3.

So the idea that NCAA was just some placeholder is only true for NFL fans. The majority of people I know were, and are, all about NCAA!
Exactly I dont know where that misconception came from.
 
# 49 Mauer4MVP @ 10/12/16 04:48 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ODogg
Nope, it's definitely not true. I've been a sports gamer for a long time and everyone I know of enjoyed and played NCAA far more than Madden. All of my dynasties I run were NCAA, not Madden. The guys I know from my league play Madden sporadically but instead of having 10 guys in my Madden franchise like I did in NCAA, we only have 3.

So the idea that NCAA was just some placeholder is only true for NFL fans. The majority of people I know were, and are, all about NCAA!
I grew up a Minnesota fan. Went to school there and still like the team. Maybe it's due to their mediocrity in my lifetime, but I've never really been a big fan of real life college football. I hate the overtime rules, too many blowouts/meaningless games. I've always preferred the NFL to NCAA football.


BUT, I bout the last 4 iterations of NCAA football and I enjoyed my time on those games vastly more than on Madden. I think it's building programs, every game mattering, and also the nature of rosters staying fresh. Every 4 years you are for sure not playing with the same players.

I said I wouldn't hook up my 360 ever again... but I can't resist. NCAA is getting booted up tonight.
 
# 50 Junior Moe @ 10/12/16 05:04 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mauer4MVP
I grew up a Minnesota fan. Went to school there and still like the team. Maybe it's due to their mediocrity in my lifetime, but I've never really been a big fan of real life college football. I hate the overtime rules, too many blowouts/meaningless games. I've always preferred the NFL to NCAA football.


BUT, I bout the last 4 iterations of NCAA football and I enjoyed my time on those games vastly more than on Madden. I think it's building programs, every game mattering, and also the nature of rosters staying fresh. Every 4 years you are for sure not playing with the same players.

I said I wouldn't hook up my 360 ever again... but I can't resist. NCAA is getting booted up tonight.

I started out buying NCAA football to tide me over until Madden. But eventually, it became a staple of my ga,ing library because it provided something Madden couldn't; emotion and uncertainty. Playing in The Swamp with a freshman GA QB and having the stadium and camera shake was insane. NCAA CH was similar. Just can't find that stuff in the pros. Plus, college games lend themselves better to roster turnover. Players are always coming and going. That's why I think generic rosters would be ok in these games if they did come back. College is more about the schools, conferences and rivalries than say "star power".
 
# 51 Mauer4MVP @ 10/12/16 05:10 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Junior Moe
I started out buying NCAA football to tide me over until Madden. But eventually, it became a staple of my ga,ing library because it provided something Madden couldn't; emotion and uncertainty. Playing in The Swamp with a freshman GA QB and having the stadium and camera shake was insane. NCAA CH was similar. Just can't find that stuff in the pros. Plus, college games lend themselves better to roster turnover. Players are always coming and going. That's why I think generic rosters would be ok in these games if they did come back. College is more about the schools, conferences and rivalries than say "star power".
100% agree. In fact, I'd imagine for most people the most memorable seasons are with the generic/cpu generated players.
 
# 52 Dregs @ 10/12/16 05:34 PM
Here's my two cents about the issue

EA and the colleges should do a poll to see how much interest people still have in the college football games. Take those limited poll results and compared them with EA ncaa football franchise yearly sales and bring that to the courts or a neutral meeting table.

from those combined set of information, have one last poll from those two polls to see how many people are still playing ncaa football 14. if they see there are people still playing the game and dont care for real players than there's no issue here.

the last time i only cared for real players was when reggie bush, matt leinart, vince young, and the others were in the game. otherwise my xbox 360 wireless adapter isnt plugged in as i favor offline play only
 
# 53 ndfan1993 @ 10/13/16 07:33 AM
Again, we here are the minority not the majority of players. How many people have commented on this thread...and how many units of NCAA 14 were sold?
 
# 54 Critical Kills @ 10/13/16 07:40 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ndfan1993
Again, we here are the minority not the majority of players. How many people have commented on this thread...and how many units of NCAA 14 were sold?


I don't think the views expressed in this thread ARE the minority. I worked with Fairdale on his rosters and I can easily say the majority of the public just wants college football and do not care about the specific athletes or names like hardcore sports fans here on OS do.

What I see mostly in this thread is people just want a college game back and they don't need named players or players just like their real life counterparts and that is exactly the sentiment of the majority of the general public as well.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
# 55 R1zzo23 @ 10/13/16 08:45 AM
I agree with what most people are saying in here. For me I grew up a Madden fan because I was young and only watched the NFL and wasn't familiar with college football. Growing up near Boston college sports is not big at all. I would play seasons of Madden and thought it was the best sports gaming experience.

I started getting interested in college sports late in high school with College Hoops 2k8 (still the best franchise/dynasty mode I've ever played) and finally bought NCAA football. From that moment on Madden has never been the same. With every game being so important, with the variety of teams and offenses, with the huge upsets and huge bowl games, with the roster turnover and new recruits I felt NCAA gave me more excitement than Madden.

The generic rosters debate is funny because I know when I start a new dynasty, like I did with MTSU just recently, I want an updated and accurate roster. But once I start playing, I want the generated recruits on my roster faster than I want the real players off my roster. Someone said that most people's favorite moments in NCAA football come once the fake players have taken over the game and I cannot agree more. Those kids you recruited and groomed to lead the program will always mean more than inheriting that 90 overall QB-WR duo at the start of the dynasty.

I would absolutely buy any college football or basketball game that came with completely generic rosters, even if there were no roster sharing. I don't see that happening any time soon though because I feel the majority of the people that buy college sports games are looking to play with their favorite players more so than us hardcore players that want to build programs with fake players.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
# 56 Mauer4MVP @ 10/13/16 08:58 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ndfan1993
Again, we here are the minority not the majority of players. How many people have commented on this thread...and how many units of NCAA 14 were sold?
What do you even mean by this? NCAA 14 is already 4 cycles ago. Of course there won't be many people commenting.
 
# 57 Critical Kills @ 10/13/16 10:47 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by rhs_rizzo

I would absolutely buy any college football or basketball game that came with completely generic rosters, even if there were no roster sharing. I don't see that happening any time soon though because I feel the majority of the people that buy college sports games are looking to play with their favorite players more so than us hardcore players that want to build programs with fake players.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Now see I know this is the perception here on OS but having worked with the rosters and talked to a LOT of people in video game stores and online through the years I don't believe it to be the case. The vast majority of people I've talked to about NCAA and its players, never knew about the named rosters and in fact, most didn't care if even the numbers were right or the players were like their real life counterparts.

I've known a ton of casual (non-OS) NCAA players throughout the years and the general idea is they just want their schools, the bowl games, music, etc to be right and they don't care about individual players.

I know it seems counter-intuitive but I do think a general NCAA game with the correct schools, music, mascots, and etc would sell quite well.

I honestly wonder if EA is doing polling and market research to verify that this is the case and, if so, then I expect it would mean we'd get a college football game sooner rather than later. I'm still not sure the numbers are there for a basketball game though, and specifically because individual players and their likenesses are more important in basketball than football.
 
# 58 R1zzo23 @ 10/13/16 11:55 AM
You're probably right OD. Most guys that I know that play it (my friends) don't play dynasty and just want to play with college teams and their stars. It seems like your experience with gamers has a higher sample size and would be more reflective of the gaming community.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
# 59 Critical Kills @ 10/13/16 12:30 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by rhs_rizzo
You're probably right OD. Most guys that I know that play it (my friends) don't play dynasty and just want to play with college teams and their stars. It seems like your experience with gamers has a higher sample size and would be more reflective of the gaming community.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah I was sort of surprised myself, most people out in the "wild" just care about the teams, the schools, music, etc, not even about the stars really, and the few that do are ok with editing if they can a qb or two but for the most part don't even care that much about the players reflecting their true self either
 
# 60 ndfan1993 @ 10/14/16 09:09 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mauer4MVP
What do you even mean by this? NCAA 14 is already 4 cycles ago. Of course there won't be many people commenting.
How many people were on this site actively contributing to the discussion about NCAA '14 when it came out.

I know you guys want your game back but people here ARE the minority of users of this product.
 


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