EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

[xcrushx]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

This is an excerpt from the ESPN article:

"EA Sports provided athletic departments with more licensing royalties than any other non-apparel licensee, according to data released by CLC."

Yes, I believe the student-athletes should have a right to make money while in school (either by having a job, signing with a marketing agency, etc) but the NCAA doesn't allow that which I dont see as being fair as you are taking someone's right away of trying to make money.

Actually, the NCAA does allow players to have jobs. There are a lot of players that work during the summer to make money. NCAA has no rule not allowing athletes to work. There are limitations to what they can do (mostly around not being paid a ridiculous amount for their work) to try and keep things fair but there is nothing that says they can't have a job. Now, they can't do marketing and stuff like that but that's certainly understandable in my opinion.

I really don't care if players get paid or not but I'm not too big into this idea that players are victims. They get to go to school for free, get free food, get somewhere to live for free, and some even get free publicity and fame that will give them a leg up once they leave college. Nothing is stopping these guys from getting a summer job and making money to support themselves while school is in. I get that they make these schools a lot of money but these schools also give them a great opportunity. The money they get in form of scholarships, food, housing, etc is probably more (and in some cases considerably more) then they would make if the NFL had a development league and the teams were paying them. Look at all the developmental leagues around the world, those guys aren't making much money at all.

If guys really wanted to, they could send their tape up to CFL teams and go that route instead of college. The reason they don't is it's much harder for them to get a job in the CFL than a college scholarship at a Division 1 school and the CFL won't pay them much of anything. And they also won't get the exposure they will in college. College offers a lot more than just scholarship money. It's not a bad deal at all for the players.

[Sam Marlowe]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

The problem was never with EA and the game... the problem was always with NCAA and the rules of amateurism.

Sure EA pinches a pretty penny on what they spend money on, but they've had no issue with licensing. They rarely skimped on licensing in games, and you can tell from the music, to logos, to players in ALL their games (not just NCAA, not just sports, but every genre under the EA umbrella).

The issue is that EA wants player likeness, but NCAA rules forbid the players from making money off it. The settlement of the lawsuit isn't so much coming from EA (they know they would have to pay eventually), it's coming from pressure from the NCAA.

The NCAA knows their rules on amateurism are under fire, and they didn't want a lawsuit to drag on and have their policies under a microscope again in a courtroom.

Those who pay attention to the NCAA know change is coming. Conference Commissioners say it, big name coaches say it, Presidents are now saying it. It's just a matter of time before the NCAA changes their rules regarding player representation.

When that happens, college football will be free to return with player licensing. But until the NCAA changes, there won't be a football or basketball game.

Excellent post man.

[C the Lyte]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

Yes, it's the students who are being selfish. It's not like FBS college coaches have seen their salaries increase 81% over a five year span.

30 years ago, the highest paid coach was Jackie Sherrill at Texas A&M, who was making the controversial sum of $285,000 per year. Now, Nick Saban makes $5,650,000 per year. 52 college coaches make more than $2 million per year, and 15 college coaches make more than $3 million per year.

What did students get in 1983? A free education. What do students get in 2013? A free education. Meanwhile the revenues blow up and everyone gets rich around them.

But you're right, it's the kids, it's the "I gotta get mine" generation that is causing all of this downfall.

So what choice do they have? Everyone on here says they "choose" to go to college. Nonsense. An 18 year old can't join the NFL. Jadaveon Clowney has no desire to stay in South Carolina, but the NFL's esoteric rules (bolstered by their untouchable anti-trust exemption) means he's stuck working for free in South Carolina. Oh he gets a free education? He's not going to graduate because he's going to leave as soon the rules allow him to, thus he has very limited choice. He's worth millions on the open market so long as he performs upkeep on his skills, but in order to maintain the millions that he's worth he has to work for no money so that South Carolina and the SEC can make millions.

I'm not saying students should get paid. I don't think they should. I think the NCAA and the government needs to pressure the NFL into opening a developmental league for 18-21 year olds so young players actually have a choice, which will end most of these lawsuits.

Clowney isn't working for free. He is getting compensated via scholarship. To say "free education" like it's just getting paid in peanuts is asinine IMO. It costs $ to go to most of these schools, $ that most of these guys don't have. I never went to a university b/c of money. Some are getting opportunities that, if not for their athletic talents and luck, they couldn't get into a community college.

You ever see Twitter? I saw the phrase "sorry to half to report that my injury will require surgery"!!! HALF!!! ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!!!! Does that seem like he is college educated?

[Sam Marlowe]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

Debating the ins and outs of players being payed by schools is a waste of time. Any fix along those lines would be convoluted. The questions for the NCAA are simple:

What good reason is there to deny a player the right to profit from their name or likeness? Why shouldn't a player have access to the same possibility for revenue that their school does?

[JLoco11]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

Debating the ins and outs of players being payed by schools is a waste of time. Any fix along those lines would be convoluted. The questions for the NCAA are simple:

What good reason is there to deny a player the right to profit from their name or likeness? Why shouldn't a player have access to the same possibility for revenue that their school does?

Sadly, most of the issues they NCAA has with this, would be removed if the NFL and NBA created a minor league system (D-league expansion for the NBA's case).

Players would have the option like baseball and hockey to turn pro without being required to attend college to improve their prospects. Sure the NCAA would lose money and appeal, but if things don't go their way, they will be losing money to players as opposed to keeping all their reduced revenue & profits for themselves.

[BenGerman]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

I guess it isn't quite as big of a deal to me as I thought it would be. It probably is because of the fact that I figured a few games weren't going to make the cross over to next-gen, and thought NCAA might have been one of them. I doubt this means we will never see a college football game again, but until the likeness stuff has been settled, publishers will probably want to stay away.

Again though, as long as college football is as big of a sport as it is, publishers will stay interested. Let's all just root for this likeness stuff to be settled and cross our fingers that does the trick.

[Sam Marlowe]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

Sure the NCAA would lose money and appeal, but if things don't go their way, they will be losing money to players as opposed to keeping all their reduced revenue & profits for themselves.

The money lost would be nothing compared to the end result of the best players not being in college at all. It's most definitely in the best interest of the NCAA to keep these guys in school for as long as possible.

[Sam Marlowe]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

Clowney isn't working for free. He is getting compensated via scholarship. To say "free education" like it's just getting paid in peanuts is asinine IMO. It costs $ to go to most of these schools, $ that most of these guys don't have. I never went to a university b/c of money. Some are getting opportunities that, if not for their athletic talents and luck, they couldn't get into a community college.

Why shouldn't he get the same opportunity to profit from his name and likeness that the NCCA and his school do? And to be clear, we're talking profit in the same exact manner, money.

[Peacefrog]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

I would be okay with players getting paid, so long as they made both football and school their "jobs." Any players seeking payment/endorsements/entitlements must maintain a 3.5 minimum GPA (hell, make it 3.75), and they must graduate or risk having to pay back whatever they were given.

[ntmeangreen11]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

Good. I will sleep better knowing some of the people who have made this stagnant game and blatantly ignored its fanbase are now out of jobs. $65 a year for what has been the same game since 2004 and has never showed progress. Give me an fn break.

What we can all hope for is that 2K will make a game with fictional teams that is actually worth a damn. Or once players are finally getting paid and the NCAA can negotiate a new license 2K hops on it and EA isn't given the chance again.

[barats]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

Good. I will sleep better knowing some of the people who have made this stagnant game and blatantly ignored its fanbase are now out of jobs. $65 a year for what has been the same game since 2004 and has never showed progress. Give me an fn break.

What we can all hope for is that 2K will make a game with fictional teams that is actually worth a damn. Or once players are finally getting paid and the NCAA can negotiate a new license 2K hops on it and EA isn't given the chance again.

I'm sure most of these guys will be integrated into other games at EA. Madden, NHL, etc.

But I agree. EA as a whole has ignored Madden and NCAA for years. Adding junk to it that no one wants and touting it as some big feature. Yet ignoring gameplay every single year. Gameplay features were never hyped.

And they release the game basically as a beta test version and we are the testers. Except they slap a $60 price tag on the broken game. They read all these bugs/glitches/complaints and then issue a few patches and tuners, usually which cause other problems.

I haven't bought either NCAA or Madden in 2 years. Tired of wasting my money on a company that obviously does not care about their football games. They also let NBA Live go down the drain as well and become so bad, they cancelled it all together.

EA is capable of making good sports games. FIFA and NHL are very good from what I hear.

[bc21045]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

How is a free education the same as being "paid"? I've had several jobs that offer education benefits, none of them offer it in lieu of a salary.

Also how can you on one hand realize that many athletes wouldn't be able to get into these colleges without an athletic scholarship but fail to realize that a college education means nothing if you're not prepared to take advantage of it?

If the education is "payment" isn't it up to the school to make sure they're educating these kids? If you're just passing athletes without them going to class so they stay eligible you're cheating them out of their payment no? If it's about the education a kid who doesn't go to class and doesn't do the work shouldn't be allowed to stay at the school. People say take away their scholarship and make them pay for the school as if athletic scholarships aren't the school's way of getting unqualified athletes onto the football field and basketball court for no reason other than generating money for the school.

The other thing i've always taken issue with is the idea that they should be grateful for getting a "free education" at all. The point of going to college is to prepare you for your chosen career. If my chosen career is professional football or basketball player why should I be grateful that you gave me a free education in something else? If you plan to be a lawyer how valuable is an education in art history?

[Sam Marlowe]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

I would be okay with players getting paid, so long as they made both football and school their "jobs." Any players seeking payment/endorsements/entitlements must maintain a 3.5 minimum GPA (hell, make it 3.75), and they must graduate or risk having to pay back whatever they were given.

Once you cross the line and say that schools should pay players you lose leverage on any kind of "education" incentive. The money these institutions make has absolutely nothing to with the education these guys are supposedly getting. Its entirety generated from the "service" these players and coaches provide. The product on the field. So once you acknowledge the player contribution with compensation you also acknowledged the real relationship between the two entities. Guys like Clowney, Manziel ect aren't attending those schools for anything remotely to do with education.

[montycrook]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

Dont know if this has been brought up or not, but here it goes. Some if not all of the people posting on here do not realize all the hidden money that these players get. And im not talking about under the table stuff either. You guys realize that most of these FBS schools and even FCS ones give out meal money after games because the cafeteria is usually closed on Saturdays. They also include a monthly stipend for things like rent that can range from form $700-$1000 a month. There is also pell-grant money they may receive, if they are on full-scholarship for football, which you are if you are at an FBS school, or any sport, well guess what, thats free $$$$. The problem is, and this is from speaking to a couple of former SEC football players, is that most of these guys run through this cash in like 2 or 3 days. Also there is the cash from going to bowl games also, if you dont fly they pay for your mileage. So the problem isnt they need money, its they need someone to show them how to manage it. You make a $1000 go along ways as a college student, especially if you have your housing paid for, and meals. Just my 2 cents.

[roadman]

Re: EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

Wouldn't it be better if football players, if they ever make it to the pro's, have something to fall back on before they retire?

Why not take advantage of a free ride when you are younger vs paying out of your own pocket when you are older?

For instance, let's say a player makes it in the pro's for two years and then is out of the NFL. Sure, they have the Canadian league, Euro league, etc...., but they retire before they are 30.

What will they do the rest of the 30 yrs of their life?

Not much in life is guaranteed, but I would assume you'd like that college degree buttoned up before you retire or are out of the game.