By Gary Lloyd
The NCAA has made the decision not to enter a new contract for the license of its name and logo for the EA Sports NCAA Football video game.
The current contract expires in June 2014, but the timing is based on the NCAA’s need to provide EA notice for future planning. As a result, the NCAA Football 2014 video game will be the last to include the NCAA’s name and logo.
“We are confident in our legal position regarding the use of our trademarks in video games,” states a press release from the NCAA. “But given the current business climate and costs of litigation, we determined participating in this game is not in the best interests of the NCAA.”
The NCAA has never licensed the use of current student-athlete names, images or likenesses to EA. The NCAA has no involvement in licenses between EA and former student-athletes. Member colleges and universities license their own trademarks and other intellectual property for the video game. They will have to independently decide whether to continue those business arrangements in the future.
According to ESPN, the Collegiate Licensing Company said it would continue to work with the video game maker for future editions of the franchise. In an ESPN story, EA Executive Vice President Andrew Wilson said EA Sports will continue to develop and publish college football games, but it will no longer include the NCAA names and marks.
Some area football players who grew up playing the game reacted to the news last week. Clay-Chalkville rising senior defensive lineman Jalen Harvey, who holds scholarship offers from Austin Peay, Northern Colorado and Old Dominion, said it would be “bad” if the game didn’t exist anymore.
“I always wanted to see myself on the game,” Harvey said in a Tweet.
Clay-Chalkville rising senior running back Stephone Sheffield and Pinson Valley rising senior quarterback Brooks Garrett also said they wished to see themselves on the game in the future.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.