The NCAA has publicly revealed that it won’t be renewing its contract with video game powerhouse Electronic Arts, developer of a number of massively popular video game titles and series including Madden, Need For Speed, Burnout, FIFA and more. EA and the NCAA are currently involved in litigation regarding their inappropriate inclusion of identifiable player likenesses without permission of the players depicted. Read more for what this means for video game and college sports fans alike.
What can EA do from here? Basically, the gaming giant will still be allowed to bring a college football game to market. The most noticeable change will be the lack of any NCAA branding in the game. EA will also have to negotiate with universities on an individual basis to license their names for use in future games. The NFL’s contract with EA is set to expire in August, but the relationship between EA, the NFL and the other major pro sports seems to be on the up and up.
Via The Verge
