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EA Sport’s new College Football 24 video game set to arrive next Summer is being sued by the The Brandr Group over EA’s current opt-in licensing agreement. The Brandr Group, which represents 54 NCAA Division I schools and is in charge of negotiating the group licensing contracts for these schools, is claiming that EA’s opt-in licensing agreement is a blatant attempt to go behind their backs.
Reported by Front Office Sport and confirmed by GameSpot, the lawsuit alleges that EA had been in contact with The Brandr Group multiple times in 2021 and 2022 in discussions to work with them for the licensing deals EA was after from the schools they represent. However, per Front Office Sport, EA is now partnering with OneTeam Partners with the intent to offer college athlete NIL deals that comprise of just $500 dollars with no additional royalties of any kind.
In response, the College Football Player Association is urging its student athletes to refrain from accepting any such deal and boycott it until they receive something better. Using NIL from collegiate athletes has been a dream for EA Sports to incorporate into their college football game experience. However, securing fair and just compensation for NIL use has been a reoccurring issue for EA dating back to College Football 14, which was the final installment the series has released. And tens years later, it’s finally hit a boiling point and transformed into a lawsuit.
The Brandr Group released a statement, emphasizing that their “primary concern is advocating for student-athletes, ensuring they have a voice and are justly represented in all matters pertaining to the use of their NIL.” The statement continues to read, “We believe that student athletes are not receiving fair market value for their NIL rights and that the contractual rights asked for may limit other NIL gaming opportunities. We have no further comment at this time.”
Ultimately, The Brandr Group has asked EA to immediately stop any negotiations it has begun for all schools with which it has contracts. Although there is a lot of Division 1 schools in college football, The Brandr Group represents some of the biggest, including Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Auburn, Florida, and more.
What this means for College Football 24 and its release, is still unknown. Because of these on-going NIL negotiations, EA Sports has yet to reveal much on their new game, from the specifics surrounding its release date to the gameplay itself. But now with this new lawsuit on their hands, more uncertainty is draping over College Football 24, as it looks to overcome yet another obstacle. Should more details arise on this new lawsuit EA Sports College Football 24 is facing, be sure to check back here for the latest news and updates.
