The NCAA Football franchise is coming back in the form of EA Sports College Football. While there aren't a ton of details out there yet, the franchise is returning after almost a decade away. Since Electronic Arts first announced it was bringing back NCAA Football, there have been more questions than answers. The release date and what platforms the game will be on are just a couple of the most pertinent.
At the top of the list when it comes to things players need to know before the game comes out is how EA is going to get around the problem that apparently killed the franchise the first time around. People are wondering just how the company is going to get around the name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights issue that still exists. However, it appears that one recent announcement by Electronic Arts on that topic is good news for everyone. The new likeness database the company is coming up with should make things better for everyone.
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NIL rights are something that college football players didn’t have the ability to make money off of in the recent past. Changes to the landscape in various states have come about in the last 12 months that make it easier for college athletes to make cash off their fame. That’s why EA announced it was bringing back the NCAA Football franchise in the first place. The company apparently saw an opening, mentioning the loosening of rules about NIL rights in its return announcement. Then came the announcement that the company is already putting together a player likeness database. It seems like EA is covering all its bases this time around.
While it’s hard to know exactly how the likeness database is going to work until after the new game releases, the initial plan sounds like it will be great for everyone involved: those making the game, those who are depicted in the game, and those playing the game. The NCAA Football player likeness database is said to allow “easy integration.”
From afar, that sounds like a tool built for the piecemeal way players are going to be allowing access to their NIL rights. EA Sports has struck a deal with one organization that is steadily adding more teams and players to its umbrella. That should mean there are already some players who have said yes to their likenesses being in EA Sports College Football.
While some teams and players have opted out of being involved in EA Sports' latest project, it seems likely that NCAA Football will move full speed ahead and include those players that are allowing access. Then, if and when more teams and players decide to opt in, the growing database should allows them to be added in quickly.
The win-win-win situation comes into play because it benefits the schools and athletes financially to be included in the newest EA Sports College Football game, especially if the game sells well. It will almost certainly sell better the more real players and teams are in the game. People who buy the game should also have more fun with more realism including more players, teams, and stadiums being integrated. Having a database ready to go appears to offer a better chance of that happening within the first year the game is out, instead of waiting until year two or three to get up to speed. Since players can opt out, there's also no concern of their likenesses being taken advantage of, in spite of the benefits which may come from their in-game appearance.
EA Sports College Football is currently in development with no confirmed release date.