EA is bringing back the college football game. And it is offering roughly 11,000 college football players a measly $600 for the ability to use their names, images, and likenesses in the production.
They also get a free copy of the game.
The College Football Players Association, which in the past has urged players to reject the offer, issued a statement on X in response to the news.
“The news here is that this is the first group licensing deal in sports business history to not include royalties,” the group said, via FrontOfficeSports.com. “CFB players get a video game instead of royalties. The athletes of the second most popular sport in America are being treated like children. Video games instead of [cash].”
Many will blindly accept the offer, because they’ll regard it is “an honor and a privilege” to be included in the game. It’s not. It’s an honor and a privilege for EA to sell a game that secures authenticity and accuracy by using the names, images, and likenesses of those who play college football.
But the powers-that-be at EA know that plenty of players will pounce on what amounts to pizza money. That’s the real problem here. Yes, the players will grab the money without thinking twice about it. That’s how most guys that age are inclined to operate.
It doesn’t make it right.
College football players have been exploited for decades. And they continue to be. From EA’s perspective, the $600 per player is still $600 per player more than their schools actually pay them to play college football.
