Ea Sports Facing Litigation From Ncaa Football Players

[theFRANCHISE]

For those of you familiar with EA Sports' NCAA Football titles, the players in the game resemble the actual athletes for each respective school, yet are unnamed due to NCAA restrictions on the amateur status of the athletes (they cannot be compensated for a commercial venture, therefore, they cannot have their names licensed).

For years, none of the collegiate athletes have complained because they thought it was cool to have their likeness in the video game. In fact, many of them KNOW that it's them (esp. the cover athletes, whose digital likenesses are often used in marketing the game), yet they just don't care.

Until former Nebraska QB Sam Keller came along.

Inspired by the legal action taken against EA Sports and the NFL Players' Association by retired NFL players for the uncompensated use of their likeness in historic rosters in the Madden NFL series, Keller has filed a class action suit against EA for the use of collegiate athletes in both the NCAA Football series and the NCAA Basketball series.

And you can bet that part of Keller's argument will be the websites that SELL roster files with all the players named.

Source: [url="http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/07/ea-sports-facing-litigation-from-ncaa-football-players/"]Joystiq.com[/url]

[McBoller]

He must suck real bad, knowing he wont make it pro, so he needs to get paid now...

[McBurks]

I don't know if this will go through, but I know HE won't be getting paid.

[BloodRaven]

EA deserves to get rattled like this. Making money off people who get no compensation.

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='BloodRaven' post='192217' date='May 13 2009, 03:52 AM']EA deserves to get rattled like this. Making money off people who get no compensation.[/quote]
I can understand the retired players deserving compensation, but it's the NCAA's fault if they don't want their student-athletes compensated for EA's games.

The NCAA Football series might never be the same again if they rule in favor of the student-athletes. EA might be forced to take out the roster-naming feature, and interest in the game would probably take a huge dive because of the lack of authenticity on the rosters.

[ravensfolife]

[quote name='BloodRaven' post='192217' date='May 13 2009, 02:52 AM']EA deserves to get rattled like this. Making money off people who get no compensation.[/quote]
Yea but it is what it is, I'm sure the schools get money but not the players....man sports is almost slavery imo. If players were smart thy would form a nationwide union to get paid, and get a playoffs instead of the b.©s.