Players Can Opt-In to EA Sports College Football 25 and Get Paid
In an exciting development for college football players, EA Sports has announced that athletes will have the opportunity to opt-in to their new college football game, EA Sports College Football 25, and get paid for it. This marks a significant milestone as it will be the first time that college athletes will receive compensation for their participation in a video game.
The opt-in process will begin on Thursday, giving over 11,000 college football players the chance to have their name, image, and likeness appear in the game. Initially, up to 85 players per school will be included on the rosters of EA Sports College Football 25, which is set to be released this summer. As an incentive, all athletes who opt-in will receive a payment of $600, along with a copy of the game valued at $70.
What sets this program apart is that athletes will remain in the game for their entire careers and will have the option to opt out of future editions if they choose. Furthermore, athletes who stay in the game for multiple years will receive annual payments, and even players who transfer schools will continue to be compensated as long as they are on a roster.
EA Sports has taken inspiration from deals made with other sports titles, such as the Madden NFL series and the NHL series, to arrive at the $600 payment. However, this is the first time that every student-athlete participating in the game is guaranteed revenue. Cory Moss, CEO of the Collegiate Licensing Company, which has collaborated with EA on the game, expressed his excitement about this groundbreaking initiative.
In addition to the financial compensation, there will be over 100 additional name, image, and likeness opportunities for athletes to work with EA Sports. These opportunities could range from social media posts and on-campus promotions to advertisements and even being featured as the cover athlete of the game. Moreover, EA Sports plans to extend these opportunities to athletes from other men’s and women’s college sports, making it a truly inclusive endeavor.
Frank Arthofer, the president of OneTeam Partners, which has worked with EA Sports on the licensing agreement, emphasized the unprecedented scale of this initiative. Negotiations for these additional opportunities will be conducted directly between EA Sports and the athletes, further empowering the players.
The ambassador program for the college football game is expected to be larger than any other similar program for EA titles. Sean O’Brien, EA Sports vice president of business development, highlighted the significance of celebrating the return to college football through this game.
All 134 FBS schools have agreed to participate in the game, including Notre Dame, which was initially a potential holdout. However, no FCS schools will be included in the game at launch. Athletes will receive an opt-in notice through their official university email address, and once their eligibility is verified by the school, they will be inserted into the game.
EA Sports is confident that their program will be adaptable to any changes in college athletics, including player payment or future legislation. They have experience working with player unions through their collaborations with the NFLPA and NHLPA, which gives them confidence in their strategy.
While face scans for individual players will not be possible in the first year due to logistical challenges, EA Sports is working closely with schools and using roster photos to create a representative likeness of each player. In cases where a player chooses not to be in the game, a generic avatar will be created based on the traditional strengths or weaknesses of their position over the past decade. This ensures that the game still accurately represents the integrity and history of each team.
Gamers will have the option to create their own players, but opted-out players will not be available for creation or insertion into the game. EA Sports has implemented measures to address this, although specific details have not been revealed.
Overall, the introduction of EA Sports College Football 25 and its opt-in program marks a significant milestone for college athletes. It provides them with the opportunity to be compensated for their participation in the game and opens up new avenues for name, image, and likeness opportunities. With the inclusion of athletes from various college sports, EA Sports is making a statement about inclusivity and celebrating the return of college football.
