After 8 years without a new release for NCAA Football, EA and the CLC, the nation’s leading collegiate trademark licensing company, have announced the return of college football video games to EA Sports. This partnership allows for EA Sports to be the exclusive developer of simulation college football video game experiences. EA Sports College Football has just begun development and the launch timing will be revealed as the project progresses in the years ahead. NCAA Football was a consistent top-five sports title in North America, from 2005-2014. College Football has been one of the most requested games by fans.
Through the CLC partnership, the new franchise will include the rights to more than 100 institutions featuring the logos, stadiums, uniforms, gameday traditions, and more that fans have come to know and love. The game will not include student-athlete names, images, and likenesses but EA Sports is continuing to watch those developments closely. As of now, student-athletes cannot sell their NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) rights while in college.
This may change in the future. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy issued a statement saying that he would introduce legislation to “help players finally profit off their talent so they don’t need to face continued mistreatment like this.” Speaking to ESPN, EA Sports Vice President Daryl Holt said that they will continue to monitor the situation but it’s not going to dictate when the new game gets released. “We’ll just keep tabs on everything as it develops, and we’ll be ready. That won’t be a problem for us. But it’s really, that’s not an answer for us right now to decide. We’re as much passengers as anyone else. Holt also discussed the name change from NCAA Football to EA Sports College Football. “It all starts really with where we see college football as going. There’s a lot of things happening, and there’s a lot of things happening in sports. EA Sports College Football gives us a name and a brand to kind of work around for some things that might evolve as well as what we’re focusing on really out of the gate, which is really the FBS Division 1 schools and the road to the College Football Playoff and college football championship. So EA Sports College Football we just felt is the right name for the product for not only now but also as we move forward.”
“We’ve heard from the millions of passionate fans requesting the return of college football video games,” said Cam Weber, EA Sports EVP and GM. “We love the energy, tradition and pageantry of college football and I am beyond thrilled to say we are back in development. We have a lot of really exciting work ahead of us, and a great team that is eager to bring a new game to players in the next couple of years.”
Cory Moss, CLC CEO said “we’re very excited to collaborate with EA Sports to bring back the college football franchise, one of the most popular collegiate licensed products in our history. The college football video game connects passionate fans to college brands and introduces new fans to the storied traditions, excitement, and game-day experience that make college football unique.”