EA is bringing back the college football game. And it offers around 11,000 college football players a paltry $600 for the opportunity to use their names, images and likenesses in production.
You will also receive a free copy of the game.
The College Football Players Association, which has urged players to decline the offer in the past, issued a statement on X in response to the news.
“The news here is that this is the first group licensing agreement in the history of the sports business that does not include royalties,” the group said, via FrontOfficeSports.com. “CFB players receive a video game instead of royalties. The athletes in the second most popular sport in America are treated like children. Video games instead [cash].”
Many will blindly accept the offer because they see it as “an honor and a privilege” to be included in the game. It is not. It is an honor and privilege for EA to sell a game that ensures authenticity and accuracy by using the names, images and likenesses of those who play college football.
But those in charge at EA know that many players will pounce on pizza money. That's the real problem here. Yes, players will grab the money without thinking twice about it. This is how most men at this age tend to act.
It doesn't make it right.
College football players have been exploited for decades. And they continue to be so. From EA's perspective, the $600 per player is still $600 more than schools actually pay them to play college football.