Former Tennessee Basketball Player Bobby Maze sues EA/NCAA

[RaychelSnr]

It seems like when it rains lawsuits, it pours:

"Local attorney Gordon Ball has filed a lawsuit on behalf of former University of Tennessee basketball star Bobby Maze against the major college conferences (including the SEC), the NCAA, and a video game maker for exploiting Maze and other basketball and football players.


The suit says college athletes’ likenesses and even their jersey numbers are used in video games to generate millions of dollars, and the athletes are not compensated. Maze appeared in video games during the 2006, 2008, and 2009 basketball seasons. The suit against Electronic Arts Inc. says the NCAA requires athletes to sign a form each year giving up the right to their likeness that continues even after they graduate."

This suit joins other similar ones, such as Sam Keller's, which state the NCAA and EA are profiting off of college athletes without any compensation in return. As the New York Times has reported, this case is about much more than video games and could be a landmark case in rights management as well a firm test on the NCAA's claim that it's athletes are amateurs.

I'm not even going to try to prognosticate where these cases end up legally, as legal experts are divided themselves over what happens here. Instead, I think it's safe to say that if any college sports game isn't selling well, it's a product which is on the endangered list. On a practical scale that means NCAA Football will have to continue its success and the chances of seeing another college basketball game from any company at this point is quite low since no one could quite figure out the sales magic for that sport.

[southzeztpdot]

I bet if he made it to the League this law suit would never exist....He got a free education PLUS stipends. He needs to act like he had to pay his way through school. He didnt have to go to the NCAA to play basketball he could of gone overseas like Brandon Jennings.

[shyvoodoo]

I agree, if he was John Wall, we would never heard of this. I'm sorry but these guys know when they go play "Big Time" college basketball, the NCAA is gonna exploit them anyway. Besides Get your diploma, I mean thats why you're GOING there in the 1st place right??

Its no big secret the NCAA reasoning is "we're giving you the right to a free education and with the EXPOSURE we can give YOU and YOUR SCHOOL, if you are good enough, YOU can flip this OPPORTUNITY into a MULTIMILLION dollar career!!" Agreed?? Hell, if these guys are so "worried" about their likeness, then go play at a Div. II school or an NAIA school and try and make it to THE LEAGUE that way....

[shyvoodoo]

One more thing, the NCAA requiring these guys to sign a form to give them the right to use their likeness??
Well, like I said, its a "do something for me and I will do something for you" type thing... If the "student" athlete dont like it, like south said GO OVERSEAS and get your exposure.....

[DirtyJerz32]

Seriously these guys need to get over themselves. He didn't make it to the league and he's probably broke. He should've kept all the money the boosters gave him during his time there.

[GaryT531]

I don't understand how they can sue for using "player likeness" for anything other than jersey numbers, and maybe height and weight. That's just not enough detail to win a court case imo.

EA Sports college Basketball and Football games are so generic anyway in terms that all players look the same except for race, run the same, etc. After playing Madden 11 which has some player detail and NBA 2K11 which rediculous player detail and likeness, I can't even go back to playing these generic college games like NCAA Football and CH 2K8. But that's just me.

[GaryT531]

This guy isn't the first and certainly won't be the last to try to sue EA Sports. Think Maze even knows that no one makes college basketball games anymore? Yeah Keller opened up this can of worms but Maze has no chance.

[ThaShark28_316]

Why don't they sue the networks who promote their names and teams in promos to hype the game up? See what I'm saying?

[Mos1ted]

This is probably the same guy who bragged to his buddies about being in a video game when those games were out.

Like others have said, we wouldn't here a peep if these guys would have made it as pros.

[1WEiRDguy]

This is probably the same guy who bragged to his buddies about being in a video game when those games were out.

Like others have said, we wouldn't here a peep if these guys would have made it as pros.

Im pretty sure he was that guy

[khaliib]

From the responses, I can tell most if not all or you never played at the collegiate level (I'm not talking about Jr College either). I laugh at people who make the GOOFY statement " they got a Free education". The schedule of a Collegiate athlete is more demanding than most "FANS" can comprehend.

People forget the the NCAA is not part of the educational system. It's a private institution that makes billions and makes millioniars of a select few. The money they say they give to the schools never make it to the athletes or students of the University. After the Presidents and Trustees take their piece, little is left, which must be distributed across all sports. Again, that scholarship is not FREE. Your're basically in Bootcamp while being an athlete. The part folks don't talk about, is how athletes are now being required to stay and train during college breaks. Many of you who make these dumb statements, make them because you've never experienced the grueling schedule and you think it's a piece of cake.

It's easier getting a shot at the Pro's, then trying to make a college team and obtain an Athletic Scholarship.


Also, anyone who a brain knows that just becuase you get a degree, doesn't mean your going to have a job after graduating. We all know of someone that got their degree, only to be working at Blockbuster Video etc...

The part they don't tell you is that after you get that degree, your're going to be greeted with "We're looking for someone with ? years of experience"!

BTW, it would bother you to if you looked around and saw NCAA Administrators making six figures, University President and AD's making six figures and coach's making millions of your athletic ability. But when your done, you don't even exist.

I say to any athlete in this situation, get yours, because everyone else (including fans) made out on your abilities!!!

[JerseySuave4]

From the responses, I can tell most if not all or you never played at the collegiate level (I'm not talking about Jr College either). I laugh at people who make the GOOFY statement " they got a Free education". The schedule of a Collegiate athlete is more demanding than most "FANS" can comprehend.

People forget the the NCAA is not part of the educational system. It's a private institution that makes billions and makes millioniars of a select few. The money they say they give to the schools never make it to the athletes or students of the University. After the Presidents and Trustees take their piece, little is left, which must be distributed across all sports. Again, that scholarship is not FREE. Your're basically in Bootcamp while being an athlete. The part folks don't talk about, is how athletes are now being required to stay and train during college breaks. Many of you who make these dumb statements, make them because you've never experienced the grueling schedule and you think it's a piece of cake.

It's easier getting a shot at the Pro's, then trying to make a college team and obtain an Athletic Scholarship.


Also, anyone who a brain knows that just becuase you get a degree, doesn't mean your going to have a job after graduating. We all know of someone that got their degree, only to be working at Blockbuster Video etc...

The part they don't tell you is that after you get that degree, your're going to be greeted with "We're looking for someone with ? years of experience"!

BTW, it would bother you to if you looked around and saw NCAA Administrators making six figures, University President and AD's making six figures and coach's making millions of your athletic ability. But when your done, you don't even exist.

I say to any athlete in this situation, get yours, because everyone else (including fans) made out on your abilities!!!

well boo hoo, you know what a lot of people that dont get a free education have to do??? Work while going to school. So you talk about schedule of an athlete, how about the schedule of someone who has to work in order to pay for their school. So quit the crying about how tough it is to be a college athlete. Its not easier to get a shot at the pros. There are only x amount of pro athletes for any sport. Lets look at basketball. An NBA roster consists of 12 active players with 30 teams which is 360 active players. There are how many college basketball teams at the D1 level alone? 300? The pros are the elite players in the world. You can be a good h.s. player, mediocre college player and get a scholarship even if you dont have a shot at the pros. Regular college students need to worry about experience just as much as college athletes do.

I'm sick of people trying to make it sound like college athletes are slaves. We should feel so sorry for you that schools are making millions of dollars while you only get a free education.

NCAA Administrators and University Presidents and ADs and coaches make millions not off of your athletic ability, but rather because they are doing the job assigned to them. Its not like those people just sit back with their feet up in a chair smoking a cigar while they just rake in the money because of athletes. There is a ton of more work than you could ever imagine that go into those jobs which is why they are paid the money they make. They make decisions that not only affect athletes, but the entire school.

[Jackmouv]

for me its not a matter of fair or not, its SIMPLY what they agreed to. He know they made that game before he agreed to go to school, he didn't object then. Might not be fair, but if you walk into it knowing the situation, then what do you have to sue about. As a college athlete you can't get paid ANYWAY.

[Bolt957]

These lawsuits are loads of crap. Just tryna make quick cash. We know the economy's bad, but do we really wanna go into lawsuits?!?! STUPID

[khaliib]

well boo hoo, you know what a lot of people that dont get a free education have to do??? Work while going to school. So you talk about schedule of an athlete, how about the schedule of someone who has to work in order to pay for their school. So quit the crying about how tough it is to be a college athlete. Its not easier to get a shot at the pros. There are only x amount of pro athletes for any sport. Lets look at basketball. An NBA roster consists of 12 active players with 30 teams which is 360 active players. There are how many college basketball teams at the D1 level alone? 300? The pros are the elite players in the world. You can be a good h.s. player, mediocre college player and get a scholarship even if you dont have a shot at the pros. Regular college students need to worry about experience just as much as college athletes do.

I'm sick of people trying to make it sound like college athletes are slaves. We should feel so sorry for you that schools are making millions of dollars while you only get a free education.

NCAA Administrators and University Presidents and ADs and coaches make millions not off of your athletic ability, but rather because they are doing the job assigned to them. Its not like those people just sit back with their feet up in a chair smoking a cigar while they just rake in the money because of athletes. There is a ton of more work than you could ever imagine that go into those jobs which is why they are paid the money they make. They make decisions that not only affect athletes, but the entire school.

I will pray for peace through your anger you were not gifted with abilities to be a college athlete.

Your statement about "Administrators of a University getting paid for the job assigned to them", well I would say go say that to any instructor at any University and see how they feel about such a statement.

Anyhow, this site is not about our stance, but about video games.
So I will not respond anymore.