EA no longer has to worry about one set of lawsuits on their hands. They’ve finally reached a $ 40 million settlement with the NCAA.
This move takes them completely out of the antitrust trial that had involved EA, the NCAA, and the college athletes the NCAA was supposed to represent in the production of their college football videogames.
Previously, EA had indicated a willingness to pay the athletes directly, and even brokered a deal with the Collegiate Licensing Corporation. Although at the time we were only hearing about their attempt to continue their college football franchise, it turns out this also included a possible settlement with the players, which was blocked by the NCAA.
Although EA is no longer a defendant, they will continue to have a presence of sorts in the O’ Bannon lawsuit. The suit alleged that the NCAA discreetly licensed the use of player likenesses in EA’s games without getting the permission or notifying said players. EA themselves have shared evidence indicating that fans could create characters that would match these likenesses closely, and in fact that the avatars matched these likenesses.
It’s good to see EA ultimately do the right thing in all this, although one wonders how long sports will have to wait before they can make a new college football game again. It would seem, at least in the immediate future, plans for such a game will have to go on the backburner.
Image is from NCAA Football 14.
