EA Sports are set to release EA Sports College Football in 2024 and has agreed on a deal to use FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) players’ likeness and name, just so long as the relevant players opt-in, and if they choose to do so, then they will be compensated for giving their permission.
This means fans of college football will be able to play as their favorite players, and it’s been quite a while since EA Sports College Football was released, with the game being on hold since 2013.
EA Sports have partnered with Collegiate Licensing Company, which allows the game to use more than 100 FBS teams; though some of the big schools are absent, these include the likes of Notre Dame and USC, with the former still yet to decide whether it will agree to feature in the game.
College football is, of course, huge, with millions of fans attending games throughout the busy season, and betting is similarly popular, with many punters backing all sorts of bets through the NCAA season, though clearly wanting to be successful in such endeavors would be helped by having a good knowledge of the game and wagering, such as knowing how to bet the spread and choosing who to back on the Moneyline.
Therefore the idea of having college players being used by EA Sports to push their product is not all that contentious, but obviously, players and teams will want to be paid the going rate for having their likeness, name, and brand used.
EA released a very successful video game titled NCAA College Football from 1993 to 2013 but put a halt on the process when disputes began between EA and the NCAA in relation to NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) issues.
However, a 2021 United States Supreme Court ruling decided that student athletes could look to make money from their NILs, hence the imminent return to the EA staple.
If a player does not opt-in, then their likeness will be replaced by a generic avatar and player name. Details as to how much players will be paid for the use of their NIL are being discussed, and as such, one might wonder just when the game will be released though there is currently a projected release window of summer 2024 for a PS5 and Xbos Series X/S release.
EA Sports vice president Daryl Holt has discussed the likely release date in a recent interview, stating;
“That’s the best date for us (summer 2024) to bring the game that we think is going to meet or exceed our player expectations,”
“And cover the breadth and scale of what we want in the game. We’re trying to build a very immersive college football experience.”
The game was set to come out in July 2023 but was delayed, and a recent poll showed that more than two dozen players within the Power Five conferences wanted to be included in the game.