No new NCAA games by EA in the forseeable future. Here's why.

[dodgerphreak]

A quote from the class action lawsuit filed against EA about college football games, NFL games, and player likenesses. Please pay special note to the bolded text:

Quote:

FAQ 8: What are the terms of the settlement? Other than the modifications to the Plan of Allocation discussed in this Supplemental Notice (see “How much will my payment be under the modified distribution plan?”), the terms of the Settlement have not changed. The Settlement provides that Electronic Arts will pay $27 million into a fund that will include money for Settlement Class Members to be provided for timely and valid claims, after deducting payment for the costs of administering the Settlement, including the costs of notice, attorneys’ fees, costs of the litigation and any payments allowed by the Court to the named Plaintiffs, known as the “class representatives.” This money is referred to here as the “Common Fund.” Additionally, the Settlement provides that Electronic Arts will not enter into an exclusive trademark license with the AFL for five years from the date of approval of the Settlement; and that Electronic Arts will not renew its current collegiate football trademark license with the Collegiate Licensing Company (“CLC”) on an exclusive basis for five years after it expires in 2014; and that Electronic Arts will not seek any new exclusive trademark license for the purpose of making football videogames with the CLC, the NCAA, or any NCAA member institution covered by the current exclusive license for five years after the expiration of the current CLC agreement. You can read more about the Settlement at www.easportslitigation.com. The Settlement will release claims that consumers may have against Electronic Arts relating to the exclusive agreements, and any resulting overcharge for football videogames, for the period of time from January 1, 2005 to June 21, 2012, unless an individual has excluded himself or herself from the Settlement. Specifically, the Settlement will release and forever discharge the claims that were pled or could have been pled in the Pecover v. Electronic Arts case. You can read more about the scope of the release and the released claims at www.easportslitigation.com.

So there ya have it. This is the real reason the EA did not renew their license with the NCAA. And the real reason we will not have any NCAA football games until at least 2019.

[King_B_Mack]

Unless I'm mistaken in my reading, that's not the reason. They're prohibited from entering a "new exclusive license agreement" not a license agreement. They could obtain a license to make a game if they wanted to and the NCAA wanted to, it just couldn't be an exclusive license.

[jello1717]

Quote: Originally Posted by King_B_Mack

Unless I'm mistaken in my reading, that's not the reason. They're prohibited from entering a "new exclusive license agreement" not a license agreement. They could obtain a license to make a game if they wanted to and the NCAA wanted to, it just couldn't be an exclusive license.

What he said. It just says that they can't have an exclusive license so, based on what I just read (which was only the bolded part), EA could make NCAA '15 if they wanted to.

That being said, I'd be willing to wager a fair sum of money that we'll never see another college football game by EA or anyone else.

[TimLawNYC]

The above posters are correct--the settlement only prohibits EA from entering into exclusive licensing agreements--they are still able to enter into non-exclusive licenses, which was shown to be their appetite lately anyway. Nothing in the quoted language prevents EA from making a game.

The real question is, how does this settlement affect the rights of future college football players? If this settlement applies only to the claims of past and future college athletes, it still leaves the door open for subsequent suits brought by future college players whose rights were not foreclosed by this settlement, and THAT would be the reason EA won't make another game, because they would still be exposed to future liability if they make more games.

[dzl13]

Regardless, I think the fact that there is nothing announced nor on the horizon for anyone a little over 4 months before the game is historically released indicates we are all SOL for any new collegiate based games for a long time.

[barsoffury]

Collegiate teams won't even be affiliated with the NCAA in the near future because the power conferences want to be able to compensate athletes and will form their own organization/league.

[TimLawNYC]

Quote: Originally Posted by dzl13

Regardless, I think the fact that there is nothing announced nor on the horizon for anyone a little over 4 months before the game is historically released indicates we are all SOL for any new collegiate based games for a long time.

Oh, even in the best case scenario there is NO chance we see a game released this year, and it seems unlikely for next year as well, unless EA jumps back on the horse at some point this year. I'm guessing that our best-case scenario would be to see a new game released in summer/fall 2016, unfortunately.

[CuseGirl]

I think this is a blessing in disguise honestly....