• Loading stock data...
Sunday, November 3, 2024
The Best Employers in Sports survey is open through Nov. 6 Learn More

EA Sports Strikes Licensing Deal For College Football Players

  • All FBS college football players can opt-in to be featured in the video game, expected to launch in 2024.
  • Players will be paid through EA’s deal with group licensing firm OneTeam Partners.
Players can opt-in to be paid to appear in the game.
Credit: Indystar Photojournalist Jenna Watson

All FBS college football players can opt-in to have their NIL represented in the EA Sports College Football video game set to come out in the summer of 2024, courtesy of a new licensing deal between EA Sports and OneTeam Partners. 

Details regarding the structure of payments and how much an athlete will receive for being included in the game are still being finalized. “If it is not possible to identify individual sales, like in the case of video games, then revenue will be divided equally among the athletes included in each licensing program,” OneTeam, a group athlete licensing firm, states on its website.

“We’ve wanted to feature collegiate athletes in a meaningful way from the start of our journey to bring an EA Sports college football experience back to our fans,” EA Sports said in a statement to FOS. “We’re excited to have an agreement in place with OneTeam Partners that will enable us to include the names and likenesses of eligible collegiate football athletes at NCAA Division 1 Football Subdivision schools who opt-in to being featured in EA Sports College Football.”

NCAA Football 14, EA’s last college football game, was released in 2013. The series was discontinued amid lawsuits and national debates over college athletes being compensated for their name, images, and likeness. Former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson was the last college athlete to appear on the cover of EA’s NCAA Football franchise. 

More than 120 FBS schools have committed to being in EA’s upcoming college football game, including all 10 FBS conferences and the College Football Playoff, according to ESPN. If a player does not opt-in to appear in the game, EA Sports will create a generic avatar and player name to fulfill their place. 

OneTeam was co-founded in 2019 by the NFLPA and MLBPA, and the firm was valued at a reported $1.9 billion last year. OneTeam also has deals to represent players from the NWSLPA, MLSPA, USWNTPA, WNBPA, and the U.S. Rugby PA.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Vanderbilt Commodores fans head to the south end zone as the goal post is taken down by exuberant fans after beating No. 1 Alabama 40-35 at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.
opinion

Something New in College Football This Year: Parity

Upsets, surprises. CFB is more fun on the field than the NFL.
Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump waves flanked by former Georgia Bulldogs player Herschel Walker, recording art Kid Rock, professional golfer John Daily, Alabama senators Tommy Tuberville (R) and Katie Britt (R) during the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Mission Swing State: College Football’s Political Advertising Battle

Trump, Harris, and the PACs that support them are utilizing the sport.

Inside Cosm’s Plans for a Fourth Location—and Beyond

The downtown Detroit site will add to the city’s sports and entertainment district.

Lululemon-Fanatics Collab With NHL Sees ‘Explosive’ First-Day Sales

The premium collection made up 80% of all NHL merch sales.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

First-Ever 12-Team CFP Takes Shape

0:00

Featured Today

The Untapped Revenue ‘Powder Keg’ of Women’s NFL Fandom

There’s a “boatload” of money at stake for brands and the league.
Oct 19, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) shakes hands while entering the locker room after a game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
October 28, 2024

NIL Director Is the Trendy New Job in College Sports. But the Role Is Chaos

Athletic departments nationwide are hiring for what’s become their most important position.
FuboTV signage
opinion
October 26, 2024

Fubo’s Fight Against Streaming Giants Feels Futile

Fubo notched a legal win, but subs and stock still slump.
October 25, 2024

Inside The Wall at L.A. Clippers’ New $2B Home

FOS went inside the “contagious” energy at the L.A. Clippers’ Intuit Dome.
Eastern New Mexico forward Jose Murillo (33) passes the ball between Grand Canyon University forward Sammie Yeanay (23) and guard Makaih Williams (2) during an exhibition game at Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix on Oct. 29, 2024.

Grand Canyon University to Join Mountain West in 2026

The Mountain West has added three new schools after the Pac-12 poached five from the conference.
The Fox Big Noon Kickoff crew broadcasts from the endzone prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
October 31, 2024

ESPN-Fox Pregame Battle in Focus at Ohio State–Penn State

Fox has the game broadcast at noon ET.
November 1, 2024

Olympic Sport College Coaches Hire Lobbyists Amid NCAA Upheaval

The NCAA and power conferences have spent millions on an effort to preserve amateurism.
Sponsored

World Series Delivers High-Demand Marquee Matchup

The hype around the World Series matchup drove ticket prices to record levels—but the Dodgers’ dominance quickly quieted the fervor.
October 28, 2024

College Football Playoff Expansion Already Heating Up Off-Field Drama

ESPN’s and Fox’s rival pregame shows will broadcast from the same campus.
October 25, 2024

College Coaching Legends Say Their Players Are Professionals

More and more coaches admit they see their players as pros.
Oct 19, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) throws the ball during the second half against the UCLA Bruins at SHI Stadium.
October 24, 2024

CFB Fans Can Thank Fox, World Series for 11 p.m. Rutgers Game

Fox has aired five Friday night college football games so far this season.
The NCAA logo on the field in the closing second of the Anderson University inaugural football game with St. Andrew's University on Spero Financial Field at Melvin and Dollie Younts Stadium at Anderson University in Anderson, S.C. Saturday, September 7, 2024. Anderson won 51-14.
October 22, 2024

Charlie Baker Thinks There’s Room for Private Equity in College Sports

College athletic departments are seeking out more revenue streams.