If you are a football fan who went to college in the 1990s or early 2000s, you probably spent a good deal of time playing the EA Sports “College Football” video game series. I played the 1993-1996 versions for days at a time.
The company stopped producing the annual release with the 2014 edition. One of the big reasons was the complaints of players who appeared in the game not being able to receive any compensation for their appearance or likeness being used. EA Sports is bringing the game back, and the company and the new NIL rules have mitigated the issue of player compensation.
Mike Rothstein of ESPN reported that EA Sports is allowing players the option to appear in the game. From Rothstein:
Details — such as how much an athlete will receive and the structure of payments — are still being finalized, but the EA Sports representative said the goal is to be “as inclusive and equitable as possible.” On the OneTeam website, the company stated that if the influence of individual sales couldn’t be figured out — including for video game licensing — then “revenue will be divided equally among the athletes included in each licensing program.”
The opt-in ability removes some of the obstacles faced in producing the new version of the game. The college football game is expected to return in 2024. It’s always been a great way to get more familiar with the attributes of players who could eventually enter the NFL, aside from being an exceptionally entertaining diversion.