Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

[barsoffury]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

This is a big ruling and really a fair and positive one in my opinion but with appeals coming we are still a very long way away from NCAA video games coming back... The biggest thing is that we need the schools/conferences to jump back on board with EA or whoever before games are made again.

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

Dovuto, the schools are not going to pass the cost of player "salaries" on to the video game developer in such an explicit or direct manner. As others have said, the revenue stream of selling the license at a market price that will actually be purchased by a developer is desirable.

That said, not only is the money for salaries there already, and this is a matter of distribution, and not additional costs added.

[sra9888]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

Those that think this will eliminate future games are not seeing the big picture. The money players can gain come from more than just video games. We are talking Jersey sales, magazine covers, advertising, etc etc.... This doesn't mean EA will pay 5,000 per player, because video games are just a portion of what we are dealing with here.

You will probably see Autograph signing revenue for players factored in with jersey sales, video game likeness, guest appearances at fundraisers, youth camp participation, etc.

[ACardAttack]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

They don't have to use player names and likeness. Sell the game with random generated players and include an editor.

Your average player though doesn't know or isn't involved with forums where they can find accurate rosters. Joe schmo on the street wants to pop in NCAA and play with a player who plays like, looks like and has the same number as Jamis Winston, not some slow pocket passing QB or what ever

[Gopokes15]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

It is now safe to say that there will never be another NCAA licensed game made ever again because it will be way too costly for game developers. I did the math on makin a college basketball game featuring all 144 teams at 16 players a team. it said each player has to be paid at least 5,000 dollars a year. So 5,000 dollars times 16 players on a team equals 11,520,000 dollars and the game most likely wont make that much...A NCAA licensed college football game will cost just as much if not more. I just don't see it happening

I thought this ruling was a good thing, is it not?

[Gambo187]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

The gist is that the universities especially those in the power 5 are going to pay their athletes the $5000 or whatever to secure their ability to use their name and likeliness however they see fit. This will include uniforms, advertisements and of course video games.

The schools are already covered because they will have already paid the players. Whether or not a game or games is produced will be solely based on whether they will be safe from further litigation.

Honestly, the universities get paid when ever their logos etc. are used. They can only profit from a game being produced.

[Cam Fan]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

I couldn't speak for college basketball, but there's no way EA is going to pass up on the $80M in revenue this game brings in -WITHOUT previously using names. EA has already done the math on this. There WILL be a CFB in the future.

[aholbert32]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

I thought this ruling was a good thing, is it not?

It is a good thing. Dovuto has it wrong. The $5000 isnt coming straight from video games. It comes from any use of a players likeness. That could mean TV or print ads featuring players by the university. That could mean selling Jerseys with the players name and number on it. Video games is only a small part of that and that money will come from the license fees that the conferences charge the developers.

Whats likely to happen is most players will get a 5k stipend in exchange for signing over their likeness rights each year. There will be certain players (like a Manziel or a Winston) who may demand more because their jerseys are generating a ton of revenue. There may be a few players who refuse to sign over their rights at all and they will be left out of the game.

[aholbert32]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

The gist is that the universities especially those in the power 5 are going to pay their athletes the $5000 or whatever to secure their ability to use their name and likeliness however they see fit. This will include uniforms, advertisements and of course video games.

The schools are already covered because they will have already paid the players. Whether or not a game or games is produced will be solely based on whether they will be safe from further litigation.

Honestly, the universities get paid when ever their logos etc. are used. They can only profit from a game being produced.

Exactly. You know how many Winston jerseys FSU will sell now that they can put his name on it. Its a new stream of revenue and they can also increase the price of those jerseys.

I wouldnt expect a game in 15 but I think 16 is a good shot. Gives the conferences time to get these likeness deals in place.

[gator3guy]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

yeah but not all 300 teams will be featured. I had college hoops 2k8 and there were only 144 teams in that game

You must have had the bootleg version then.

[RaychelSnr]

It is a good thing. Dovuto has it wrong. The $5000 isnt coming straight from video games. It comes from any use of a players likeness. That could mean TV or print ads featuring players by the university. That could mean selling Jerseys with the players name and number on it. Video games is only a small part of that and that money will come from the license fees that the conferences charge the developers.

Whats likely to happen is most players will get a 5k stipend in exchange for signing over their likeness rights each year. There will be certain players (like a Manziel or a Winston) who may demand more because their jerseys are generating a ton of revenue. There may be a few players who refuse to sign over their rights at all and they will be left out of the game.

This man nailed it.

Schools weren't making A LOT of money beforehand from licensing. Most likely any future games will feature the P5 + a few friends, mostly because this ruling all but guarantees that we may see a real split from the NCAA or at least a real split amongst teams. No way New Mexico State, Idaho, North Texas, etc. are going to be able to afford this cost -- but Texas, Washington, Ohio State most certainly will.

[awill25]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

The schools will be grouped and sell their liscense as a group. The fee will go into different areas, but a percentage will go into the trust funds that will be paid to players upon graduation.

Read some of Judge Wilkens decision and it is much easier to understand where we are headed. While it may take a few years, College football is more than likely coming back.

[Sheba2011]

This thing is far from over as this will go all the way to the Supreme Court. It might be 2-3 years before there is any final resolution on this. But the end result could be very important for the future of college football video games. We could be one step closer to an NCAA players association which could then license out the player likeness. It is going to be interesting to watch but it's going to take some time.

[Cryolemon]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

yeah but not all 300 teams will be featured. I had college hoops 2k8 and there were only 144 teams in that game

It's probably possible to include all 300 teams nowdays, and my guess is that the fans would demand it.

As for 2k sports making a college football game, I'd put money on it not happening. As has been said, without an NFL license as well a college game is worthless and EA will never give up the exclusive license. Unless and until EA goes out of business, Madden will be the only NFL console game.

[Junior Moe]

Re: Judge Rules In Favor of O'Bannon, NCAA Violates Anti-Trust Law

I would think that the schools/conferences would be salivating at the prospect of pimping the players out now. They no longer have to put up that whole "amateurism" charade. So now (if this holds...) they can pimp these players out like the NFL does. Sure, the players will (deservedly, IMO) receive some compensation in some form, but so will the NCAA/schools/conferences. They still hold have the leverage because they offer the platform. I could see NCAA Football sitting in the gift shops at the respective schools depicting their star player on the cover.