[Strikeout King]

There is some big news coming out of the gaming industry today with the news that the NCAA will not be renewing their contract with popular video game developer EA Sports. EA Sports recently released NCAA Football 14, but an ongoing lawsuit has caused the NCAA to reevaluate their position with EA Sports and they decided it was best to not renew their deal.

From the NCAA press release:

The NCAA has made the decision not to enter a new contract for the license of its name and logo for the EA Sports NCAA Football video game. The current contract expires in June 2014, but our timing is based on the need to provide EA notice for future planning. As a result, the NCAA Football 2014 video game will be the last to include the NCAA’s name and logo. We are confident in our legal position regarding the use of our trademarks in video games. But given the current business climate and costs of litigation, we determined participating in this game is not in the best interests of the NCAA.

The NCAA has never licensed the use of current student-athlete names, images or likenesses to EA. The NCAA has no involvement in licenses between EA and former student-athletes. Member colleges and universities license their own trademarks and other intellectual property for the video game. They will have to independently decide whether to continue those business arrangements in the future.

This means two things.

1) The lawsuit could have the NCAA worried and they may be preparing to shell out some cash. Many will also view this as an admission of guilt.

2) RIP NCAA Football. The video game was fun while it lasted.




http://fansided.com/2013/07/17/ncaa-will...-contract/

[NothingTrivial]

That may make for an improvement in the game in reality. The NCAA wouldn't allow EA to keep a lot of things in the game from the past. Recruiting violations, Tourneys and so on where taken out because the NCAA didn't want that reflect poorly on them. Word is EA is still gonna make college football games and will get licensing rights from each individual school, the games will be "College Football 20XX" from now on.

[LeeCoUKFan]

I hope that they're able to get approval from all the schools. That would be a shame to see this game, which is probably the most popular sports game, go down the drain.