I just don't understand why they can't go the NHL/CHL route and license their likenesses without compensation. That's exactly how EA has all of the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL players in the game. The vast majority of them are teenagers. They aren't professional. The only money they receive is a small stipend for living expenses as they live with host families. When EA included the CHL teams in the game many years back, the league labeled it as "a way to promote the league," (I'm paraphrasing) rather than a source of revenue. Considering the fact that it seems the VAST majority of actual NCAA players really want the game back, regardless of seeing a dime for their likeness, couldn't this be a similar route to a game? I played division III college football. Every summer when we came in, we had a team meeting to fill out and submit a slew of NCAA paperwork. Couldn't they slip in a sheet for each player to sign off on his license being used within the game only? Seems like an extremely simple solution. If any player balked at the notion, they'd be left out, a la Michael Jordan on the early NBA Lives and Jim Kelly, Randall Cunningham, and Bernie Kosar on Tecmo Super Bowl. I can't imagine many 18-22 year olds would say no to being featured on a video game, even if they aren't getting paid. Everyone wins. The schools, conferences, NCAA, and EA cash out. The kids (the vast majority of which will never be featured in Madden) get to be legitimately in a game. And we all get our game back. I'm no lawyer. But it seems an awful simple fix. And there's already precedent within the EA brand.
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