• SEC, Big Ten, Pac-12 won't license trademarks in next EA SPORTS college football game

    ESPN.com is reporting that the Southeastern Conference & Big Ten Conference will be joining the NCAA and no longer license its trademarks with EA SPORTS and their college football franchise. CBS Sports is also reporting that the Pac-12 will also join the SEC & B1G in their decision.

    While this means the removal of the SEC, P12, & Big Ten names, logos, and other trademarked conference-related items, the member schools will still make their own determination if they will appear in the product.

    Joystiq's Mike Suszek adds that "150 collegiate institutions, including SEC schools, have approved renewal of the EA college football license, to begin with the 2015 edition. As with any licensed product, individual schools continue to make their own decisions."

    AL.com reports that Texas A&M, LSU, and Tennessee will allow their marks to be used by EA SPORTS. They also list Kentucky, Arkansas, and the American Athletic, CUSA, and Sun Belt as weighing their options.

    [UPDATE] The University of Washington appears to be the first school to publicly announce they do not plan on allowing their trademarks to appear in future editions of EA SPORTS' college football title. This comes nine months after giving customized copies of NCAA 13 to outgoing seniors. However, Kotaku's Owen Good reports that only one school from NCAA 14 will not be in next year's title and that the SEC is signed on for one more version.

    What does this mean for the franchise? It is expected that the next title in the franchise will feature a generic name for the SEC & Big Ten. Though, much remains up in the air as this news amplifies significant concerns that numerous conferences and programs may follow suit.

    From an EA SPORTS College Football 15 design standpoint, there is some community-based discussion that this may lead to a more customizable game, namely within the Custom Conferences feature to edit names, add logos, edit bowl tie-ins, etc. The offseason has now featured the NCAA, Big Ten, SEC removing themselves from the franchise and many conferences revamping bowl tie-ins. With more conference realignment in the future, these changes may lead to more customization and user options within the franchise. However, there is still the growing concern that should an excessive number of licensed partners jump ship, the franchise may be cancelled.
    This article was originally published in forum thread: NCAA will not renew EA Sports contract [UPDATED with EA Statement] started by cdj View original post
    Comments 109 Comments
    1. bdoughty's Avatar
      bdoughty -
      Quote Originally Posted by JBHuskers View Post
      And once the smoke clears, they'll come crawling back to EA.
      Only one needs the other and it will not be the Conferences doing the crawling. You might find EA on it's knees though.
    1. JBHuskers's Avatar
      JBHuskers -
      Quote Originally Posted by bdoughty View Post
      Only one needs the other and it will not be the Conferences doing the crawling. You might find EA on it's knees though.
      Don't be so sure. All the conferences care about is $$$$$$$ as soon as the smoke clears and they can make more, they'll be knocking on the door.
    1. bdoughty's Avatar
      bdoughty -
      Quote Originally Posted by JBHuskers View Post
      Don't be so sure. All the conferences care about is $$$$$$$ as soon as the smoke clears and they can make more, they'll be knocking on the door.
      The money made from licensing it's logos/name to EA is not even a drop in a 55 gallon barrel. The risk far outweighs the reward. I am not saying you will never see the NCAA or conferences come back but it is not something they are going to lose any sleep over.
    1. souljahbill's Avatar
      souljahbill -
      I'll be honest, as much as I like NCAA, I personally am fine playing a game with all Teambuilder teams if the customization is off the chain. If I could customize logos, uniforms, stadiums, mascots, and whatnot, I'm perfectly happy playing a game with only fictional teams.
    1. ram29jackson's Avatar
      ram29jackson -
      Quote Originally Posted by souljahbill View Post
      I'll be honest, as much as I like NCAA, I personally am fine playing a game with all Teambuilder teams if the customization is off the chain. If I could customize logos, uniforms, stadiums, mascots, and whatnot, I'm perfectly happy playing a game with only fictional teams.
      the names just add flavor. Its not like I think these are the players or the teams. The game engine remains the same and someone will improvise something somehow. There will always be more than one football video game no matter who tries to do what ever.
    1. jaymo76's Avatar
      jaymo76 -
      Quote Originally Posted by SCClassof93 View Post
      Why would a group of schools (conference) disassociate themselves from EA but remain individually? Seems at least a few of these schools will follow.
      SC, looking at your avatar... copyright infringement!!! CLW acting on behalf of the SEC is putting the case together right now.

      As to your point, the whole thing is just bizarre.
    1. psusnoop's Avatar
      psusnoop -
      This is all crazy. I'm not going to post much about because we know nothing more then to speculate and I'm not a huge fan of that.

      I like NCAA 14 and will be playing that for some time here.
    1. ram29jackson's Avatar
      ram29jackson -
      its all Johnny Football's fault
    1. CLW's Avatar
      CLW -
      Quote Originally Posted by jaymo76 View Post
      SC, looking at your avatar... copyright infringement!!! CLW acting on behalf of the SEC is putting the case together right now.

      As to your point, the whole thing is just bizarre.
      I'll repeat any school that goes along with this at this point is getting BAD (malpractice even) legal advice. Now a President can do it but only doing so knowing they are opening up the school to a lawsuit by its student athletes every year from here to eternity. I'm honestly surprised the Plaintiffs' attorneys didn't add all the NCAA member institutions individually as defendants as well. Same claims no real extra work and its a TON of DEEP pocket books to fatten the Plaintiffs' attorneys coffers when the settle and/or win the lawsuit and destroy college athletics.
    1. johntom2000's Avatar
      johntom2000 -
      Looks like I will be keeping this copy of NCAA for a long time.
    1. CLW's Avatar
      CLW -
      Quote Originally Posted by johntom2000 View Post
      Looks like I will be keeping this copy of NCAA for a long time.
      Yep you better. At first I thought the odd marketing this year was due to focus on next-gen. Now I'm not entirely sure if there will even be a game next year or if there is one whether it will be a full blown game or just a shell of its former self.
    1. skipwondah33's Avatar
      skipwondah33 -
      Quote Originally Posted by bdoughty View Post
      The money made from licensing it's logos/name to EA is not even a drop in a 55 gallon barrel. The risk far outweighs the reward. I am not saying you will never see the NCAA or conferences come back but it is not something they are going to lose any sleep over.
      People with money...like more money, not matter how small it may be compared to their other sources.

      They wouldn't have done the deal in the first place if the money wasn't good. It sure wasn't to help the schools, fans or...gasp student-athletes

      Now whether they opt to come back, that I am not sure. If the money makes sense and they don't fear lawsuits I imagine they definitely will.
    1. SCClassof93's Avatar
      SCClassof93 -
      Quote Originally Posted by skipwondah33 View Post
      People like more money, not matter how small it may be compared to their other sources.

      They wouldn't have done the deal in the first place if the money wasn't good. It sure wasn't to help the fans or...gasp student-athletes

      Now whether they opt to come back, that I am not sure. If the money makes sense and they don't fear lawsuits I imagine they definitely will.
      Cleaned that up for ya
    1. SCClassof93's Avatar
      SCClassof93 -
      Quote Originally Posted by jaymo76 View Post
      SC, looking at your avatar... copyright infringement!!! CLW acting on behalf of the SEC is putting the case together right now.

      As to your point, the whole thing is just bizarre.
      I have a couple of pretty good attorneys myself
    1. xGRIDIRONxGURUx's Avatar
      xGRIDIRONxGURUx -
      now I remember why avoid these lawsuit threads... everybody is a lwayer on the internet...

      Sent from my Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk 2
    1. SCClassof93's Avatar
      SCClassof93 -
      Quote Originally Posted by xGRIDIRONxGURUx View Post
      now I remember why avoid these lawsuit threads... everybody is a lwayer on the internet...

      Sent from my Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk 2
    1. bdoughty's Avatar
      bdoughty -
      Quote Originally Posted by xGRIDIRONxGURUx View Post
      now I remember why I try to avoid these lawsuit threads but still find myself posting in them... everybody is a lwayer lawyer on the internet...
      Fixed it for you.
    1. JBHuskers's Avatar
      JBHuskers -
      Well EA has come out and said there will be a game. I am sure they were aware of this happening when the NCAA pulled out. Just chill out and wait for it to play out
    1. psusnoop's Avatar
      psusnoop -
      Quote Originally Posted by JBHuskers View Post
      Well EA has come out and said there will be a game. I am sure they were aware of this happening when the NCAA pulled out. Just chill out and wait for it to play out
      It's way to easy to burn shit down or jump