• 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. oweb26's Avatar
      oweb26 -
      I think its headed more towards cancellation than customization.

      Its going to get expensive quick if they have to deal with every school/conference individually, even if they go with customization it will be months before we actually have a "playable" real college game waiting on the community to do basically everything.
    1. skipwondah33's Avatar
      skipwondah33 -
      Quote Originally Posted by JBHuskers View Post
      At this point, if the schools jump ship. Give me a TeamBuilder Online Dynasty and I'd still be happy.
      You think they make a game with that being their highest selling point?
    1. cdj's Avatar
      cdj -
      Article updated: Big Ten joining the SEC in not allowing their marks to be used by EA SPORTS. The Big XII is still considering.

    1. skipwondah33's Avatar
      skipwondah33 -
      They are all going to follow suit I'm pretty sure
    1. JBHuskers's Avatar
      JBHuskers -
      Quote Originally Posted by skipwondah33 View Post
      You think they make a game with that being their highest selling point?
      The game as it is already exists, just need to strip down the licensed stuff if it ever came to that.
    1. skipwondah33's Avatar
      skipwondah33 -
      Quote Originally Posted by JBHuskers View Post
      The game as it is already exists, just need to strip down the licensed stuff if it ever came to that.
      There are people who bash the game because of no dreads, windsocks and style of facemasks

      You really think having no or very little licensed stuff will fly?
    1. SCClassof93's Avatar
      SCClassof93 -
      Quote Originally Posted by skipwondah33 View Post
      There are people who bash the game because of no dreads, windsocks and style of facemasks

      You really think having no or very little licensed stuff will fly?
      Indeed, those folks tickle me, but at what point will this not be college football???
    1. jaymo76's Avatar
      jaymo76 -
      I just don't see this game having a future if authentic aspects of it continue to disappear. Do I want to win "Conference of the South" championship or fight it out for the National college game championship? It's only a matter of time before a few schools begin to drop out. How soon before Notre Dame walks away? I love NCAA but I really don't see myself playing a generic college game. This is a sad day
    1. SCClassof93's Avatar
      SCClassof93 -
      Quote Originally Posted by jaymo76 View Post
      I just don't see this game having a future if authentic aspects of it continue to disappear. Do I want to win "Conference of the South" championship or fight it out for the National college game championship? It's only a matter of time before a few schools begin to drop out. How soon before Notre Dame walks away? I love NCAA but I really don't see myself playing a generic college game. This is a sad day
      Agreed.

      Just got off the phone with a contact at an SEC school (he asked me not to say) and it is not South Carolina. After small talk I brought up the topic to which he replied that, "it has been and was still being discussed". You can bet it is going on at many schools. They are having to weigh the $$$ against the potential problems this suit could cause. The Ncaa and the conferences I would assume (admittedly, I am ignorant on this topic) are a type of buffer between these former players and the schools. With them gone it seems to me the schools will be forced to decide if it is worth it..........
    1. jaymo76's Avatar
      jaymo76 -
      I think it's time that we as a site sit down and figure out our future... what are we going to do if there is no NCAA? It's how we all came together in the first place... I know JB expressed some interest in having a Hannah Montana Game forum...
    1. CLW's Avatar
      CLW -
      Quote Originally Posted by xMrHitStickx904 View Post
      ^ NCAA Football series is dead.
      Yep. Hate to say I told you (and everyone else) so. NOONE in their right mind (schools included) would license this game with the lawsuit pending period end of story. It doesn't make business sense to sign up for a lawsuit every year.

      NCAA 14 is the end of college football video games.

      Any/all colleges that grant the CLC permission are just asking to get sued and every in house lawyer for every university in the country is advising the President of the potential for lawsuits.
    1. morsdraconis's Avatar
      morsdraconis -
      Sorry JB, but NCAA Football as it is is over. There's no way that EA will greenlight a non-licence version of this game. They have all the licences already and it's not selling well at all and hasn't been since the PS2 days. EA losing access to the licences means, for corporate, an easy decision to no longer fund the game and the team.

      Unless something SUBSTANTIAL happens with the official NCAA licence, this game is gone after this iteration of it.
    1. skipwondah33's Avatar
      skipwondah33 -
      Quote Originally Posted by SCClassof93 View Post
      Indeed, those folks tickle me, but at what point will this not be college football???
      Not sure, just know authenticity is huge to some

      Sure there will be plenty that don't mind having the Huge 15 and South Football conferences.

      But those SEC patches aren't on the uniforms people may be hot lol

      Just trying to see it from both sides. It has to make sense to EA to continue the product.

      That could already be losing fans/numbers these past 2 releases anyway..let alone with a product with very little licensing.
    1. ram29jackson's Avatar
      ram29jackson -
      Quote Originally Posted by jaymo76 View Post
      I think it's time that we as a site sit down and figure out our future... what are we going to do if there is no NCAA? It's how we all came together in the first place... I know JB expressed some interest in having a Hannah Montana Game forum...
      minecraft ?
    1. JBHuskers's Avatar
      JBHuskers -
      I'm just saying about the only thing I play is Online Dynasty. If everything is stripped down and fully customizable for conferences and etc, the rosters are made up after the 3rd or 4th season anyways....I'd still play it.
    1. dhook27's Avatar
      dhook27 -
      Looks like i will be playing 14 for the next 4 years
    1. cdj's Avatar
      cdj -
      Pac-12 also says no.

    1. SCClassof93's Avatar
      SCClassof93 -
      Why would a group of schools (conference) disassociate themselves from EA but remain individually? Seems at least a few of these schools will follow.
    1. skipwondah33's Avatar
      skipwondah33 -
      These conferences are a bunch of pansies

      They've been hording all this money for years...now get scared
    1. JBHuskers's Avatar
      JBHuskers -
      Quote Originally Posted by skipwondah33 View Post
      These conferences are a bunch of pansies

      They've been hording all this money for years...now get scared
      And once the smoke clears, they'll come crawling back to EA.