rThe NCAA college football video game is an American soccer video game created by the EA Sports. In this series, the players manage and undertake competitions within the Division I college clubs. The game serves as a counterpart to the College football, and it was rechristened in 1998 with its initial development dating back in 1993.
In 2013, the NCAA failed to renew the license for the competition to continue due to an ensuing conflict relating to the usage of players' likeness during the game. Despite this, the contract contents only covered NCAA name usage and the relevant logos, pending those that conferences and schools undertook by individuals or via the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC).
So, with the video game on halt, what would it take to resume? Indeed, with the new status of the world being flooded with emerging stiff competition in electronic gaming and this current generation unfamiliar with College Football, the College Video game mesmerized the users until it was halted for legal reasons in 2014.
The Background
First, it is essential to understand what hinders the return of college football. According to Ahmad, a former official at the NFL Players Association, the situation is complicated. The case has further been made complex by the NCAA, which is the governing body, by keeping intact some remains from a bygone period.
In simple terms, the NCAA inserted measures that restricted the profits that players can get from their names, images, and likeness (NIL). Within the restrictions, the most noticeable one is that the athletes are not allowed to collaborate with the schools for NIL activities or use the conference/school logos for such adventures.
Group Licenses
Additionally, it has been indicated that the athletes are barred from undertaking group licenses. Therefore, such restrictions pose an enormous threat to the return of college football. It will also block the extensive distribution of items such as jerseys and others like the trading cards.
Millions of gamers, including top officials such as Nasser and other college officials, were left stunned by the report that shovelled more dirt on its 6-year-old grave, having hoped that it would provide hope for the return of the video game. It presented other NCAA techniques to prevent college players from earning and reaping potential benefits if endorsed.
Group licensing is a method to ensure that each athlete obtains part of the money pie and that the school will perhaps as well. Nassar validates this statement by saying that group licensing is the fastest and the most effective technique in which the fans access their preferred products.
Will the Game Return?
Nasser is based in Washington DC and is focused on the NCAA's decision with regards to the return of the College video game. Being the CEO of OneTeam Partners, he anticipated that they would administer the licensing deal for group licensing through various NCAA parties.
Nasser further states that all the parties are ready and willing to get the college video game back to the enthusiasts. With sufficient knowledge that the fans need it, the retailers await it, the media longs for it, and the players are ready, and the legislators are in order. The only missing piece is the approval of the NCAA.
In case Group licensing is achieved, it would be possible to address the issue of getting the video game back. But is this foreseeable? Well, we will have to wait.
The Way Forward
Because the NCAA has not allowed the use of trademarks and school logos for student-athletes, the EA Sports do not have any authority to create new instalments for the College football game using the likeness of the existing players. Initially, they didn't use the players’ names but instead their characters, which the court later ruled illegal.
On the other hand, a court decision indicated that EA had shown interest to continue playing the video games and compensate the athletes for their likeness, but NCAA turned this down. Therefore, this lack of support from the NCAA killed the franchise.
Conclusion
Whereas NCAA's new stance on the players benefiting from their likeness boosted fans hopes of seeing the College video game return, the currently established regulations will hinder it.
