NCAA Settles Keller Lawsuit; EA Talks Conditions for NCAA Football Return

cdj

Published on 06-17-2014 10:23 PM

76 Comments

As the O'Bannon lawsuit versus the NCAA continues, the NCAA has reached a $20M settlement with the plaintiffs in the Sam Keller lawsuit. The Keller case was to be heard in March 2015 and the settlement will distribute $20 million to “certain Division I men’s basketball and Division I Bowl Subdivision football student-athletes who attended certain institutions during the years the games were sold.”

“With the games no longer in production and the plaintiffs settling their claims with EA and the Collegiate Licensing Company, the NCAA viewed a settlement now as an appropriate opportunity to provide complete closure to the video game plaintiffs,” said NCAA Chief Legal Officer Donald Remy.

Electronic Arts and the Collegiate Licensing Company finalized a $40M settlement with a series of plaintiffs in late May.

The O'Bannon lawsuit does not feature the plantiffs looking for monetary damages, but rather changes to the current collegiate model. Continue on for more on this lawsuit as well as comments from Peter Moore on what it would take for the NCAA Football franchise to return.

SI.com legal expert Michael McCann offered his thoughts on why the NCAA may have settled in the case:

NCAA reaching settlement with EA & CLC significant mainly because of evidence: settlement makes EA/CLC less likely to share info w/O'Bannon.
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) June 9, 2014

- Game Informer visited with EA SPORTS Chief Operating Officer Peter Moore and asked what it would take for the NCAA Football franchise to return:

"We've always said that we'd monitor the situation," Moore says.

We asked if there were specific things that would signal an all-clear to pursue the franchise again. "The development teams need to understand what they can and cannot do, and then it becomes a financial thing," Moore tells us. "If it costs you more to develop and pay for the players and what have you than you believe that you can sell, that's not fair to the [development] teams. They need to have an ongoing concern."

In order to get to the point where EA is looking at costs though, Moore expects that systemic change would be necessary across the multi-billion dollar college sports industry. "I think this thing gets bigger than us and our industry before it settles itself down," he says. "We'll step back and watch this thing develop."

UPDATE - From testimony at the O'Bannon v. NCAA lawsuit on Wednesday:

Joel Linzner of Electronic Arts, which suspended its successful football video game series after being sued for not paying former players whose images it was accused of using without permission, said yesterday the company would welcome resurrecting the product.

“If there was an economically efficient way to do it and no rules prohibited it, we would be interested,” Linzner said.

- ESPN has written a lengthy piece on "Why You Should Know (Judge) Claudia Wilken."

- Big Ten Conference Commissioner Jim Delaney believes that the existing lawsuits versus the NCAA will be settled in two to three years.

Categories:
EA SPORTS

Tags: ea sports

76 Comments

bdoughty - 06-22-2014, 07:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Rudy

I'm a sheep. I love the big schools and don't have any interest in the small ones. A game centered on the Big 5 would be great for me.

There will be an itch and all these naysayers will scratch. Even with just the Big 5 there would still be 62 teams to choose from. If you love college football the most, how could you pass on this over Madden? More variety, teams, play-styles and a better offseason mode.

SmoothPancakes - 06-22-2014, 02:03 PM
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Originally Posted by bdoughty

There will be an itch and all these naysayers will scratch. Even with just the Big 5 there would still be 62 teams to choose from. If you love college football the most, how could you pass on this over Madden? More variety, teams, play-styles and a better offseason mode.

Again, no Navy, no Bowling Green/Toledo, no C-USA, no Mountain West, etc, they can go fuck off. I don't give a shit if they still end up having 62 teams with Big 5 only. I can play NCAA 14 and have 126 teams.

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TIMB0B - 06-22-2014, 09:17 PM
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Would anyone be interested in a RTG game with complete control of editable teams, rosters, districts, and schedules? Except you would begin as a freshman, and the new freshmen after each progressed year would be AI based, as in no recruiting, just random players from bad to great. I'm talking about a high school football game. Team builder could be utilized, but they need to make upgrades such as editable equipment and a stadium builder among other things, all online.

Just think, as a freshman you're not being recruited, but then your performance and measurables begin determining year after year your prospect ranking and who recruits you.

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SmoothPancakes - 06-22-2014, 10:13 PM
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I'd personally pass. RTG is fine for a week or two, especially when whoring trophies and achievements. But after that, I pretty much couldn't care less about RTG from that point on. It's dynasty or nothing for me.

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TIMB0B - 06-23-2014, 12:54 AM
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Originally Posted by SmoothPancakes

I'd personally pass. RTG is fine for a week or two, especially when whoring trophies and achievements. But after that, I pretty much couldn't care less about RTG from that point on. It's dynasty or nothing for me.

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I would implement a dynasty feature with it too, but I could see how interest would be lost from 1) your player graduating and 2) you can't recruit and build your team -- just plug and play with random incoming freshmen.

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SmoothPancakes - 06-23-2014, 03:57 AM
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Originally Posted by TIMB0B

I would implement a dynasty feature with it too, but I could see how interest would be lost from 1) your player graduating and 2) you can't recruit and build your team -- just plug and play with random incoming freshmen.

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That pretty much sums it up for me. This one player control stuff just isn't for me. I want a pure dynasty where I control everything, like what we have had all these years. I want to control recruiting, I want to control all the players, I want to control redshirts, and plays called, and coaching philosophies for the teams.

Those are the reasons why RTG has never really interested me. I play it while I waited for sliders every year and just long enough to get the related achievements, and then I was done with the mode.

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coogrfan - 06-23-2014, 09:40 AM
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Originally Posted by bdoughty

There will be an itch and all these naysayers will scratch. Even with just the Big 5 there would still be 62 teams to choose from. If you love college football the most, how could you pass on this over Madden? More variety, teams, play-styles and a better offseason mode.

F that. Why would I want to purchase a game that wouldn't include my school or our conference?

SmoothPancakes - 06-23-2014, 10:00 AM
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Originally Posted by coogrfan

F that. Why would I want to purchase a game that wouldn't include my school or our conference?

That's exactly what I've been trying to tell him this whole time. Would he still buy the game if it left out Oklahoma and the Big 12? I doubt he would. So why would I?

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TIMB0B - 06-23-2014, 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by SmoothPancakes

That pretty much sums it up for me. This one player control stuff just isn't for me. I want a pure dynasty where I control everything, like what we have had all these years. I want to control recruiting, I want to control all the players, I want to control redshirts, and plays called, and coaching philosophies for the teams.

Those are the reasons why RTG has never really interested me. I play it while I waited for sliders every year and just long enough to get the related achievements, and then I was done with the mode.

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I guess what I'm envisioning is the same control that you have over a dynasty like NCAA, but it's high school. You can do RTG mode if you want.

Still no recruiting, though.

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SmoothPancakes - 06-23-2014, 10:19 AM
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Originally Posted by TIMB0B

I guess what I'm envisioning is the same control that you have over a dynasty like NCAA, but it's high school. You can do RTG mode if you want.

Still no recruiting, though.

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Which is what breaks the deal for me
I couldn't care less about RTG and I especially couldn't care less about high school. It's either the college teams with full recruiting (because EA would absolutely fuck up progression from year to year and incoming freshman and thus teams would end up total trash by year 5) or I pass. I wouldn't even buy a game like that if it was $5.

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TIMB0B - 06-23-2014, 05:45 PM
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Originally Posted by SmoothPancakes

Which is what breaks the deal for me
I couldn't care less about RTG and I especially couldn't care less about high school. It's either the college teams with full recruiting (because EA would absolutely fuck up progression from year to year and incoming freshman and thus teams would end up total trash by year 5) or I pass. I wouldn't even buy a game like that if it was $5.

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Point taken.

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bdoughty - 06-23-2014, 06:13 PM
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Originally Posted by SmoothPancakes

That's exactly what I've been trying to tell him this whole time. Would he still buy the game if it left out Oklahoma and the Big 12? I doubt he would. So why would I?

Actually, I would still buy it. I rarely ever played as Oklahoma the past few editions. In fact if OU is on my schedule I just simulate it. Have spent more time playing with Texas Tech, North Texas and Northwestern over the years.

It is all speculation, I am in the camp that we are a long way from seeing NCAA games.

I will add that there really is an easy fix to the roster issue and EA having no liability. Randomly generated rosters when you launch the game for the first time. No two rosters would be alike, leaving players unable to claim likeness. Roster makers would just have to spend some time tweaking appearances before releasing rosters.

CLW - 06-23-2014, 06:53 PM
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Originally Posted by bdoughty

Actually, I would still buy it. I rarely ever played as Oklahoma the past few editions. In fact if OU is on my schedule I just simulate it. Have spent more time playing with Texas Tech, North Texas and Northwestern over the years.

It is all speculation, I am in the camp that we are a long way from seeing NCAA games.

I will add that there really is an easy fix to the roster issue and EA having no liability. Randomly generated rosters when you launch the game for the first time. No two rosters would be alike, leaving players unable to claim likeness. Roster makers would just have to spend some time tweaking appearances before releasing rosters.

Nope. B/c creating a game that would allow others to misappropriate someone else's property can also lead to liability - see e.g., Napster Remember them? They technically did nothing wrong just like EA but their software allowed others to do so. Plaintiff's lawyers would sue EA again and EA has already shown it has no stomach to fight so write another big fat check.

bdoughty - 06-23-2014, 07:47 PM
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Originally Posted by CLW

Nope. B/c creating a game that would allow others to misappropriate someone else's property can also lead to liability - see e.g., Napster Remember them? They technically did nothing wrong just like EA but their software allowed others to do so. Plaintiff's lawyers would sue EA again and EA has already shown it has no stomach to fight so write another big fat check.

Napster was the go-between for all the files to share, technically they did everything wrong by doing so without the licensing or approval of the companies whose files were shared. EA had licenses with the NCAA/CLC. There was no player union to make a deal with. Not a really good comparison. EA would probably have to get rid of the roster share and "roster sharing" would have to go back to the old ways. Just as PES has always done. They (PES) have always always left room to add teams too. Last I checked they have not been sued? Pretty sure every league not licensed in the game has know this for some time.

CLW - 06-23-2014, 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by bdoughty

Napster was the go-between for all the files to share, technically they did everything wrong by doing so without the licensing or approval of the companies whose files were shared. EA had licenses with the NCAA/CLC. There was no player union to make a deal with. Not a really good comparison. EA would probably have to get rid of the roster share and "roster sharing" would have to go back to the old ways. Just as PES has always done. They (PES) have always always left room to add teams too. Last I checked they have not been sued? Pretty sure every league not licensed in the game has know this for some time.

The reason they haven't been sued is easy not enough $ money to interest those plaintiff's lawyers flying around in their 4 private jets.

TIMB0B - 06-24-2014, 10:02 PM
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Does anyone know why bowls can give players gifts with the NCAA's blessing?

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bdoughty - 06-25-2014, 02:21 AM
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Originally Posted by TIMB0B

Does anyone know why bowls can give players gifts with the NCAA's blessing?

It's not just the Bowls passing out the gifts.

The NCAA allows each bowl to award up to $550 worth of gifts to 125 participants per school. Schools can, and almost always do, buy additional packages that they can distribute to participants beyond that 125 limit. In addition, participants can receive awards worth up to $400 from the school and up to $400 from the conference for postseason play, covering both conference title games and any bowl game.

My understanding is the gifts have going around since the 1950's. So it is nothing new, outside the amount of the gift's which forced the NCAA to put a limit on how much. Obviously without limitations this could be used as a great recruiting strategy.

In the NCAA's mind a gift does not equal cash, therefore it does not count. As for why? A reward for being one of the 70 teams out of 125 to make a bowl game? I would use the logic that it is a form of compensation for having to stay at school and missing out on some of the holiday break, being separated from their families, etc. Of course, basketball players do the same thing. It is the NCAA, logic be damned.

xMrHitStickx904 - 06-25-2014, 12:00 PM
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I wouldn't play an NCAA game with just the Big 5 schools in it. Mind you, Louisville would be in the game - but it takes away from the experience imo. I enjoy taking teams in Dynasty outside the power conferences, and playing every game on the schedule in different stadiums, weather etc. I can just play NCAA 14 on my Xbox & be content until the series makes it return.

jaymo76 - 06-25-2014, 09:51 PM
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Originally Posted by xMrHitStickx904

I wouldn't play an NCAA game with just the Big 5 schools in it. Mind you, Louisville would be in the game - but it takes away from the experience imo. I enjoy taking teams in Dynasty outside the power conferences, and playing every game on the schedule in different stadiums, weather etc. I can just play NCAA 14 on my Xbox & be content until the series makes it return.

I agree 100%. Any college game without at the very least ALL FBS level schools is not a college game for me. Heck, I still am choked FCS teams are missing.

steelerfan - 06-25-2014, 10:18 PM
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I don't know, I played the hell out of Bill Walsh on the Genesis and it only had, I believe, 36 schools. It would be tough to go back to something like that but I think most would think something is better than nothing.

It's easy to say that I'd just keep playing NCAA 14, but we're less than a year removed from its release. What if we go 5 years with no game and then get something with 50 schools. Would you all still play NCAA 14? 10 years?

If a game is ever made again, it could be that long. I don't think many people would pass and keep playing NCAA 14.