Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

[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):

"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.

[TheWalkingCash]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

Why don't we just start a lawsuit against O'Bannon?

[jhawk826]

I disagree with this. We've seen what the community is capable of with the NCAA 2K17 project. A developer would have to go the Pro Evolution Soccer route and let the community have at it with full customization from jerseys to stadiums to fight songs. It can be done. There's a demand for a college game.

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[BadAssHskr]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

ugh, that's cold news...

[JayStarr]

Then they better start soon. This is crazy.

[Mauer4MVP]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

I just don't see how making a game with generic rosters isn't a viable option. Heck, they'd be cutting out resources and costs. They know this community would gladly take that load.

It has to be hesitation on the side of the universities and maybe just fear on what they'd be able to get away with.

[Coach_Chever]

Aaaaand that's why I still own my PS3 and will be playing my Road To Glory athletes tonight. Its still a great game if you ask me even if its a couple years old. As long as we have modded rosters I'm playing it. And I KNOW I am not alone. Its funny I love Madden also shoot my routine is to create players have them play their college careers then move on to the current Madden. I found it funny developers or gamers thought it was worth mention that this year uniformwise a player on Madden 17 can have one sleeve on instead of both....and I'm like oookkaay NCAA BEEN had this what's so special about that? I guess for the moment a current gen college game tis but a dream until or if they ever start paying dem boys I'll continue to "Put These Kids Thru College" the only way I know how. It's the least i can do for my community.

Coach Chever
Sports Gamer

[tril]

I think the developers are underestimating the demand for college sports. I think most folks are more concerned about school authenticity as opposed to player names, especially if those names can be customized.

The developers should take their cue from the constantly growing number of college sports tv networks, and on line media outlets.

college sports, media, and gaming are seeing an increase worldwide. I wonder if these companies have any real world data that would back up their claims that there isnt a market for college sports games.
is there even a good sample size of generic roster games that would say otherwise.

[itsbigmike]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

I just don't see how making a game with generic rosters isn't a viable option. Heck, they'd be cutting out resources and costs. They know this community would gladly take that load.

It has to be hesitation on the side of the universities and maybe just fear on what they'd be able to get away with.

Because we are the minority consumer of NCAA video games. The majority of those that purchase the games want the rosters as they are in current day right out of the box (sans name, as they've grown accustomed to that). The amount of people willing to hunt down rosters are a lot less than us -- the people who like to get the new rosters every year -- think they are. We're too far in the forest to see the casual consumer trees.

[Retropyro]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

Because we are the minority consumer of NCAA video games. The majority of those that purchase the games want the rosters as they are in current day right out of the box (sans name, as they've grown accustomed to that). The amount of people willing to hunt down rosters are a lot less than us -- the people who like to get the new rosters every year -- think they are. We're too far in the forest to see the casual consumer trees.

Disagree. Today most will at least jump on Google to find a solution. Even the most casual user will do a google search or check YouTube.

[ChaseB]

Why don't we just start a lawsuit against O'Bannon?

Probably would be a misplacement of the frustration.

[K0ZZ]

Honestly with my limited knowledge of legalize, but having some kind of final statement allows companies to see what they need to do to be compliant and make the decision if the work is conducive to a proper game. This is also partially my optimism for another college football and basketball game, I've always had so much more energy for college releases than professional.

[Retropyro]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

It's frustrating because it seemed like after years of "so close" NCAA Football 14 was a home-run. With a new console generation about to drop, it was looking so good. Then it was gone.

College football has ever been bigger than now and to not have a game just sucks.

I enjoy Madden, but running a Dynasty in NCAA was simply the best. The recruiting, development and of course the coaching carousal! (Why hasn't Madden allowed us to start as a co-coordinator and then try for other jobs or promotions yet!!!)

Hope those suing are enjoying their couple of extra bucks. But you know when so many college players go on about it sucking there is no game, we have a problem.

[MichaelAngeloTMNT]

I go to sleep each night, praying, that EA Sports is secretively making a College Football game and will put it out in the next year or two. Seriously, has college sports ever had this much demand for a game? I even read Kirk Herbstreit wants the game to come back.

PS, I'm down for suing O'Bannon.

[Junior Moe]

The schools are still free to liscese. So is the NCAA. Potential litigation from the players is the big hang up. Why not just make a game with the schools, conferences and NCAA and have 100% fictional (not generic) rosters? Like 2K; they even have it where you cant choose certain schools if your MYCareer player is named after a current athlete attending a certain school. Given the climate I can even understand not being able to edit or share rosters. Eliminate the "player likeness" from the equation and let us have our college football and basketball games back. I won't buy a game with fake schools or conferences. The rosters, I get.