Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

[drugsbunny]

I don't think todays athletes have the personality to sell games like back in the day. I can't think of one athlete who care enough about to go run out and buy a game just to play as. This comparable to back in the day when you Michael Jordan wasn't in the NBA games and if you chose the bulls, the starting shooting guard was a 6'5 inch Chinese guy. They found a way to accommodate the fans who wanted a NBA game although Jordan wouldn't sign off on being in the game. Developers are such punks these days. They refuse to take chances. If 2K decided to make a game called "Football", and gave the teams names like they did in TV SPORTS FOOTBALL (Rhino's, Cheetahs, etc) but gave us the option to have a franchise mode with todays gameplay and graphics, they could release online (no hardware discs), sell it for 29.99 and trust me, they would sell millions. You give me a college game with fake schools and real atmosphere, you would have a winner. Make a sports game with fake teams and make a new mode called Organization mode: You start with a certain amount of money to build a stadium and a roster, you objective is to make the team successful. Make the stadium crowd dynamic, they attendance starts off small but as you win games and start to build better organization, the more the people start to show up and support. I think we have finally reached a point in Video games where we are no longer start struck.

[BROman]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

I think we're overestimating how in demand a CFB game. Most people just bought it to hold them over until Madden.

Regardless of why people bought it, people bought it. Compared to Madden, the numbers aren't great, but the game sold about 2 million copies a year, which isn't chump change.

[Cam Fan]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

I have a hunch...just a hunch that EA will attempt SOMETHING in the next few years even if they can't secure the likenesses. I think their itch to have a game is just as strong as our itch to buy a game. They may very well attempt the Bill Walsh model or some comparable model. This is the same company with the enormous ego that still thinks it can sell NBA Live...so there's that. Again just a hunch but I think we will see something on the market within two years.

[Mike Lowe]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

I have a hunch...just a hunch that EA will attempt SOMETHING in the next few years even if they can't secure the likenesses. I think their itch to have a game is just as strong as our itch to buy a game. They may very well attempt the Bill Walsh model or some comparable model. This is the same company with the enormous ego that still thinks it can sell NBA Live...so there's that. Again just a hunch but I think we will see something on the market within two years.

I actually agree with this just about to a "t." Anyone who dismisses the notion with "It's just not going to happen" isn't thinking very hard about it.

The dust always settles...

[BizDevConglomerate]

Because we are the minority consumer of NCAA video games. The majority of those that purchase the games want the rosters as they are in current day right out of the box (sans name, as they've grown accustomed to that). The amount of people willing to hunt down rosters are a lot less than us -- the people who like to get the new rosters every year -- think they are. We're too far in the forest to see the casual consumer trees.

Yeah, but they don't get updated rosters day one in pro games, they have to update them. 2k is best to try it and with enough resources both financially and personnel with the 2k community.

[brianski71]

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.

[itsbigmike]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

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.

...For the same reason the NHL series doesn't have any kids in it while they're still playing college hockey.

[mercalnd]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

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.

CHL players are allowed to have endrosement deals too. It<s not the same rules as the NCAA.

[ODogg]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

I am not sure that I buy this. It always felt to me that people were a Madden or an NCAA fan. Did some buy NCAA to hold the over, sure. Did EA make more money because if that, yes.

Nope, it's definitely not true. I've been a sports gamer for a long time and everyone I know of enjoyed and played NCAA far more than Madden. All of my dynasties I run were NCAA, not Madden. The guys I know from my league play Madden sporadically but instead of having 10 guys in my Madden franchise like I did in NCAA, we only have 3.

So the idea that NCAA was just some placeholder is only true for NFL fans. The majority of people I know were, and are, all about NCAA!

[wolverinemaniac]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

Nope, it's definitely not true. I've been a sports gamer for a long time and everyone I know of enjoyed and played NCAA far more than Madden. All of my dynasties I run were NCAA, not Madden. The guys I know from my league play Madden sporadically but instead of having 10 guys in my Madden franchise like I did in NCAA, we only have 3.

So the idea that NCAA was just some placeholder is only true for NFL fans. The majority of people I know were, and are, all about NCAA!

Exactly I dont know where that misconception came from.

[Mauer4MVP]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

Nope, it's definitely not true. I've been a sports gamer for a long time and everyone I know of enjoyed and played NCAA far more than Madden. All of my dynasties I run were NCAA, not Madden. The guys I know from my league play Madden sporadically but instead of having 10 guys in my Madden franchise like I did in NCAA, we only have 3.

So the idea that NCAA was just some placeholder is only true for NFL fans. The majority of people I know were, and are, all about NCAA!

I grew up a Minnesota fan. Went to school there and still like the team. Maybe it's due to their mediocrity in my lifetime, but I've never really been a big fan of real life college football. I hate the overtime rules, too many blowouts/meaningless games. I've always preferred the NFL to NCAA football.


BUT, I bout the last 4 iterations of NCAA football and I enjoyed my time on those games vastly more than on Madden. I think it's building programs, every game mattering, and also the nature of rosters staying fresh. Every 4 years you are for sure not playing with the same players.

I said I wouldn't hook up my 360 ever again... but I can't resist. NCAA is getting booted up tonight.

[Junior Moe]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

I grew up a Minnesota fan. Went to school there and still like the team. Maybe it's due to their mediocrity in my lifetime, but I've never really been a big fan of real life college football. I hate the overtime rules, too many blowouts/meaningless games. I've always preferred the NFL to NCAA football.


BUT, I bout the last 4 iterations of NCAA football and I enjoyed my time on those games vastly more than on Madden. I think it's building programs, every game mattering, and also the nature of rosters staying fresh. Every 4 years you are for sure not playing with the same players.

I said I wouldn't hook up my 360 ever again... but I can't resist. NCAA is getting booted up tonight.

I started out buying NCAA football to tide me over until Madden. But eventually, it became a staple of my ga,ing library because it provided something Madden couldn't; emotion and uncertainty. Playing in The Swamp with a freshman GA QB and having the stadium and camera shake was insane. NCAA CH was similar. Just can't find that stuff in the pros. Plus, college games lend themselves better to roster turnover. Players are always coming and going. That's why I think generic rosters would be ok in these games if they did come back. College is more about the schools, conferences and rivalries than say "star power".

[Mauer4MVP]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

I started out buying NCAA football to tide me over until Madden. But eventually, it became a staple of my ga,ing library because it provided something Madden couldn't; emotion and uncertainty. Playing in The Swamp with a freshman GA QB and having the stadium and camera shake was insane. NCAA CH was similar. Just can't find that stuff in the pros. Plus, college games lend themselves better to roster turnover. Players are always coming and going. That's why I think generic rosters would be ok in these games if they did come back. College is more about the schools, conferences and rivalries than say "star power".

100% agree. In fact, I'd imagine for most people the most memorable seasons are with the generic/cpu generated players.

[Dregs]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

Here's my two cents about the issue

EA and the colleges should do a poll to see how much interest people still have in the college football games. Take those limited poll results and compared them with EA ncaa football franchise yearly sales and bring that to the courts or a neutral meeting table.

from those combined set of information, have one last poll from those two polls to see how many people are still playing ncaa football 14. if they see there are people still playing the game and dont care for real players than there's no issue here.

the last time i only cared for real players was when reggie bush, matt leinart, vince young, and the others were in the game. otherwise my xbox 360 wireless adapter isnt plugged in as i favor offline play only

[ndfan1993]

Re: Supreme Court Rejects Hearing of O'Bannon Case

Again, we here are the minority not the majority of players. How many people have commented on this thread...and how many units of NCAA 14 were sold?