Topic: NCAA ends deal with EA

[TJ Spyke]

The NCAA announced today that they will not renew their contract with EA Sports when it expires in June 2014 (making the just released NCAA Football 14 the last entry in the series). They essentially cite legal reasons. Though they don't say it, GameSpot speculates that it may have to do with the lawsuit several former college players brought against EA and the NCAA for using their likeneses.


EA says they will continue making college football games, just not affiliated with the NCAA. They could theoretically make separate deals with the different Bowls, schools, and conferences (like the FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer games do).


http://www.gamespot.com/news/ncaa-wont-renew-ea-sports-contract-6411604?tag=nl.e513&s_cid=e513&ttag=e513

[Kytim89]

I honestly think that EA's empire is unraveling.

[NWR_insanolord]

No it isn't. NCAA is a second-tier sports franchise for them. If they were to lose the NFL license, or the FIFA license, then they might be in trouble.

[nickmitch]

Wow. That's a shocker. I almost want to buy the game for the sheer novelty.

Now, before this turns in to a "should the players be paid?" discussion, can I ask if that would end poorly? Have we talked about this before?

[Shaymin]

EA has to make one deal with the Collegiate Licensing Corporation and they've got 98% of the teams covered - the exception being Norte Dame, and they can get around it by calling them "French Lick" or somesuch.

So yeah, this is strictly the NCAA trying to avoid liability. They don't even run college football (outside of 1-AA and their minor leagues) so EA's got nothing to worry about. Bill Walsh lives!

[NWR_insanolord]

In that scenario they'd make a separate deal with Notre Dame directly. They're far too popular to not be in the game. But yeah, they could get 99% of the same content even without the NCAA license, it would just require a little extra work.