Locked due to no posts in 60 days. Report 1st post if need unlocked EA Sports Cancels NCAA Football Video Game Series

[Bo Pelinis Gum]

There may very well be a Laches argument; I don't know the specifics of the case. Like I said previously, this is a developing theory of recovery that has only really taken off in the last decade or so.

You're right about the question of why is money owed. The questions are: Do the players have a property right in their image? If so, are they entitled to be compensated for the use of their image? If they are entitled to be compensated, what is the compensation?

Enter the age old response of them getting money in the form of a full ride.

Doing a little research, there are 289 Full ride scholarships at UNL, thats amongst all sports, men and womens. (side note, http://www.berecruited.com/resource...-qput-me-in-coachq/ncaa-scholarship-allotment I never realized womens sports, of the same sports as mens, gets in some cases double the scholarships, I never knew that). So according to http://espn.go.com/ncaa/revenue/_/type/expenses in 2008 our expenses for those scholarships was approx $8,166,000. Im sure its safe to say that number has gone up, and probably by quite a bit, but using 2008 data, the cost per full ride comes out to be roughly $28,256 per year. So over a 4 year period thats over $113,000. And they are free to choose what ever field they wish. Thats not counting meal plans. And the football players can eat at the training table, or even in the players lounge get a sandwhich, fruit, cereal bars, gatorade etc till they are blue in the face. While I see and get why players want some compensation, and I think they should in come capacity, this is a sob story about money. And frankly its sad.

 

[The Big Red Lebowski]

I can't believe how much anger the middle-aged white dude crowd is directing at some young kids who are so obviously getting paid less than market value for their services. Let the hate flow through you I guess.

The thing I find ironic is that whenever I go over to the Café, it's like Milton Friedman hour non-stop, and on this issue everyone suddenly turns into a bunch of Trotskyites.

 

[bilsker]

As someone who owns a video game store in Omaha this is what I have to say to Sam Keller: ***** YOU!

Arizona and Nebraska spend $260,000 a year on you and you still weren't happy.

If you want to make money go pro.

So you acknowledge that u made money off the likeness of people who weren't being compensated for it. Groww up

 

[bilsker]

Than maybe he should thank his lucky stars that he got a free education to set him up the rest of his life.

I think that players should get a living stipend; and I think that is going to change soon, but what Sam Keller did was terrible all around.

You think this lawsuit doesn't happen without keller? Wrong

 

[BasilLongfellow]

Enter the age old response of them getting money in the form of a full ride.

Doing a little research, there are 289 Full ride scholarships at UNL, thats amongst all sports, men and womens. (side note, http://www.berecruited.com/resource...-qput-me-in-coachq/ncaa-scholarship-allotment I never realized womens sports, of the same sports as mens, gets in some cases double the scholarships, I never knew that). So according to http://espn.go.com/ncaa/revenue/_/type/expenses in 2008 our expenses for those scholarships was approx $8,166,000. Im sure its safe to say that number has gone up, and probably by quite a bit, but using 2008 data, the cost per full ride comes out to be roughly $28,256 per year. So over a 4 year period thats over $113,000. And they are free to choose what ever field they wish. Thats not counting meal plans. And the football players can eat at the training table, or even in the players lounge get a sandwhich, fruit, cereal bars, gatorade etc till they are blue in the face. While I see and get why players want some compensation, and I think they should in come capacity, this is a sob story about money. And frankly its sad.

I think that is a solid defense....that the players did receive compensation.

 

[bilsker]

So the "likeness" of players just came to be in the last couple years? The games been out for nearly 20 years, and now all of a sudden people are getting butt hurt about the likeness of it. This is nothing more than a get rich plan, and unfortunately it worked. If every player that was dipicted in this series from 1993 to today steps up and says they are upset, then I would actually believe its about more than money, but the extrememly teeny tiny sample size of people stepping up butt hurt about it is nearly as sad as the final outcome. Next they should sue developers for creating the technology to make the games "likeness". Then after that maybe they can sue the developers parents for creating the developers, and then sue the grandparents then the great grandparents, great-great grand parents.... If they were truly trying to get the "likeness" out of the games, they would have come to some sort of deal that keeps the game going, but gives them something in return. But nope, they have to go for the gusto and shut down the only video game I enjoy playing.

I read where something like 200,000 former athletes were going to get $. None of them is going to "get rich". (Except the lawyers).

 

[SWVAHusker]

I can't believe how much anger the middle-aged white dude crowd is directing at some young kids who are so obviously getting paid less than market value for their services. Let the hate flow through you I guess.

The thing I find ironic is that whenever I go over to the Café, it's like Milton Friedman hour non-stop, and on this issue everyone suddenly turns into a bunch of Trotskyites.

Don't visit the Cafe so I'm not going to comment on that part...

While I'm on the side of Keller/O'Bannon and the other players who are involved in this lawsuit, I am sad that the NCAA football video game franchise is gone. I've enjoyed playing these games since the 1990s. I think that's the reason for the "hate." It's ironic that video gamers demand for increased realism in video games is what's caused all of this mess. Back in the 1990s the video game characters wore the same colors as schools but didn't even come close to being like the real players.

I am hopeful that once the dust settles between the players and the NCAA that there will be some way for EA Sports or another developer/publisher in the video game industry to bring this series back to life. Like I posted before, EA Sports has publicly said they'd be willing to set aside a pot of money to compensate players for the use of their likeness in the video game. The NCAA won't let them do that. If a court forces the NCAA to compensate players for the use of their likeness in anything (DVDs, apparel, etc.) then there's no reason that a video game developer can't work with the NCAA to figure out a way to compensate players for the use of their likeness in a video game.

IMO the series will be back, it just may not happen until around 2020 after this issue gets settled (probably by the Supreme Court.)

 

[Bo Pelinis Gum]

So you acknowledge that u made money off the likeness of people who weren't being compensated for it. Groww up

How much more compensation do they need? Its an amateur sport. They all know that going into it, and its been that way for over 100 years. If they dont like it, they can always go to a small school where they dont have to worry about being on a big stage, and wont be in a video game or worry about their university making gazillions off of them. If all they want to do is play football, there are many, many colleges out there with rosters full of kids who could care less about the money, and just want to play football because they love to play football.

 

[Bo Pelinis Gum]

Don't visit the Cafe so I'm not going to comment on that part...

While I'm on the side of Keller/O'Bannon and the other players who are involved in this lawsuit, I am sad that the NCAA football video game franchise is gone. I've enjoyed playing these games since the 1990s. I think that's the reason for the "hate." It's ironic that video gamers demand for increased realism in video games is what's caused all of this mess. Back in the 1990s the video game characters wore the same colors as schools but didn't even come close to being like the real players.

I am hopeful that once the dust settles between the players and the NCAA that there will be some way for EA Sports or another developer/publisher in the video game industry to bring this series back to life. Like I posted before, EA Sports has publicly said they'd be willing to set aside a pot of money to compensate players for the use of their likeness in the video game. The NCAA won't let them do that. If a court forces the NCAA to compensate players for the use of their likeness in anything (DVDs, apparel, etc.) then there's no reason that a video game developer can't work with the NCAA to figure out a way to compensate players for the use of their likeness in a video game.

IMO the series will be back, it just may not happen until around 2020 after this issue gets settled (probably by the Supreme Court.)

Sadly, this case is just the tip of the iceburg. It opens the door now to the NCAA. This case will be a catalyst that makes college football a rung of professional sports. That being said, a college football draft would be pretty sweet.

 

[HuskerRedDread]

Never played these games but why do the game players need to look like current stars? Why don't they just let the gamers put in whatever photo they want to for the players?

Truthfully, the players don't look like none of the players they depict at the respective schools. They just have attributes and measurements similar to the player (height, weight, etc...). Even when it shows where they are from, many don't even have the correct city, as long as they get the state correct.

 

[bilsker]

How much more compensation do they need? Its an amateur sport. They all know that going into it, and its been that way for over 100 years. If they dont like it, they can always go to a small school where they dont have to worry about being on a big stage, and wont be in a video game or worry about their university making gazillions off of them. If all they want to do is play football, there are many, many colleges out there with rosters full of kids who could care less about the money, and just want to play football because they love to play football.

Seems to me their "deal" is "I will play football and you pay for my education". I think when an outside party like EA comes in and makes 100's of millions of dollars off of them...maybe even Billions?...that that might not necessarily be part of the deal.

Obviously the fact that EA is using their likeness is a HUGE part of the reason the game was successful...otherwise EA would just continue doing a college game (maybe they will but it won't be NEARLY as profitable). The fact that the gamer guys are all up in arms about this proves that it was the fact that their likenesses were used was what made it such a "cool" game...because they won't be nearly as geeked up about a regular "college football" video game.

There comes a point where you draw the line. I think that line is when everyone BUT the players are making billions off of their blood sweat and tears...especially since the NCAA makes it about impossible for these guys to make a little extra cash without being entirely up their arses about it.

 

[bilsker]

This is a flawed argument in my opinion. My company makes more money off me than they pay me, but so what? My worth is what someone is willing to pay me, not what they turn around and make off my efforts.

I like Delaney's idea of letting them go pro right out of high school. Then, we will only get the kids in college who want to be there. The bottom line is that no one is forcing them to take that free education. I'm sure there are plenty of other athletes who would kill for the chance. This is just pure greed, but we live in a bleeding heart society. The funny thing is that young athletes LOVE to play these games and for every one Sam Keller, you probably have 10 other guys that want to kick his @55 for taking away their video game!

Curious. Who do you think is greedier? The NCAA, Delaney and EA? Or the players...none of whom would ever get "rich" off of the deal.

 

[bilsker]

Yep, hes sooooo concerned what EA sports is making off of him, yet got 3.9 million, got too homesick (serious) to put in the effort needed to succeed in New Jersey. Then, after the free education, he has to sell cars? No nock to car salesman, but I dont know many that went to school to become one. Just like many other college athletes, he went to college only as a stepping stone to the NBA, it didnt work out, blew through his 3.9 million and was looking for a way to get rich. It just shows how soft of a culture we are becoming to reward a mentality like this.

3.9M?

 

[bilsker]

But you are being compensated by the company you work for. Sam Keller (or rather the collegiate athletes he represents) don't gain a single penny from either EA or the NCAA.

The only greedy, evil entity I see is the NCAA.

Ding ding ding.

 

[bilsker]

There is a reason that this lawsuit was brought up by former collegiate players that were all major pro prospects that never panned out... I think everyone can figure out why... what a cry baby culture we live in...

One thing that will continue however is several of the internet based companies that would go through and alter rosters each year are going to figure out a way to alter teams from year to year using the last NCAA 14 game... so there will be a game next year... just it will be this years game with next years players created by scrubbing the previous roster... Those guys that entered all the real names are not going to get richer than they were because they will essentially be writing new rosters each year to make the game up to date... all the functionality will still be there just the same 2014 year and game dates...

Non-stars and "stars" alike will get paid. Probably equally.