Trouble may be afoot for the new EA Sports College Football game as players are calling for a boycott of the upcoming title over pay issues.
The EA Sports College Football franchise is set to bring NCAA football back into the video game landscape.
What makes this release more interesting is the fact that, due to changes to name and likeness rules over the past decade, NCAA players will be able to have their own likenesses in the game – provided that EA pays for it.
This has become a sticking point with one college football organization: the College Football Players Association.
EA Sports College Football game under scrutiny
At the INFLCR NIL Summit this week, college football outlet ON3 spoke with several NCAA football players regarding their potential inclusion in the upcoming EA Sports College Football game – specifically the price that it would take to add one’s license to the game.
There were some mixed feelings, to say the least. While some just wanted to see the franchise return and were not too preoccupied over the name and likeness (NIL) fee, others, like Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels, noted that high-profile players may look to hold out for more money rather than receive the set fee that’s been reportedly floated to the players.
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ON3 reported back in May that the fee EA is willing to pay for athletes is about $500 per athlete, with no paid royalties. That reported price has not sat well with the College Football Players Association, which represents “current, former, and future college football” athletes.
The College Football Players Association has called for a boycott of the game, stating that it would like to see EA let the market dictate fees and negotiate with players individually. The CFBPA has also taken issue with OneTeam Partners, which has reportedly been given the rights to facilitate the group licensing deal for the title.
Who is @OneTeamPartners and why did they get to negotiate for all college football players on the video game deal? Will they take a 30% cut from each player on the deal as they did with the jersey deal? Still no answers from them or @EA on these basic questions. https://t.co/MGUddneoxW
— CFBPA (@CFBPAOfficial) June 8, 2023
EA Sports College Football will mark the first time that an official AAA NCAA football game will be released since NCAA Football 14 in 2013. Due to a major licensing lawsuit brought forward by former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon, the franchise ceased after 14 but was revived in 2021.
The new title is expected to be released in the summer of 2024.
