| RaychelSnr |
07-10-2015 03:47 PM |
CBS Sports: 'The (NCAA) Video Game Will Return One Day'
Jon Solomon, a prominent College Football writer, weighed in on the latest developments of the O'Bannon Case with a prediction that NCAA Football isn't gone forever.
Quote:
"Many fans and players have clamored for the football video game to return. An EA executive testified at the Ed O'Bannon trial that the company would have paid players to use their image if NCAA rules allowed it. Prediction: The video game will return one day -- either by EA or another company -- once legal cases get sorted out and group licensing for players occurs. There's too much of a demand for the product. Meanwhile, the plaintiffs' lawyers in the EA/NCAA settlement have reopened the claims window for video game money. Claims can be made here. A new deadline has been set until July 15, although there is no guarantee people who make late submissions will be paid."
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This is a commonly held view with people who know details of the case and the future of college athletics, including yours truly. The general line of thinking is pretty simple, when group licensing becomes available for college athletes (sooner rather than later) and all legal battles are fully settled -- there is no reason to think a college football video game(s) won't be making a comeback. The economics make too much sense, and the demand will certainly be there.
When it comes to popularity, college football is further along than many other sports which do have yearly video games. With a summit being held in early August to discuss the future of Division I, and with lawsuits slowly being worked through, it's more likely than not we'll see movement towards licensing becoming a thing fairly soon. |
