Maybe it's just a matter of course. When you're as gigantic as EA, you should expect to spend a lot of time in court for any number of reasons.
Not long ago, it came to light that EA may face lawsuits from retired NFL players who believe their "likenesses were unlawfully incorporated" into the best-selling Madden football franchise. Now, the NCAA wants a piece of one of the world's largest game publishers. As SF Weekly reports, a former college quarterback is making the same accusation. The lead plaintiff in the class action lawsuit is Samuel Keller, a quarterback who played for Arizona State and Nebraska; here's a snippet from the article:
"The suit [claims] in its first sentence that it 'arises out of the blatant and unlawful use of [NCAA] student likenesses in videogames produced by [EA]… to increase sales and profits.' This, the complaint continues, is abetted with a wink-and-nod assist from the NCAA, which 'intentionally circumvents the prohibitions on utilizing student athletes' names in commercial ventures by allowing gamers to upload entire rosters, which include players' names and other information, directly into the game in a matter of seconds…'
This, the suit alleges, is a symbiotic relationship between the NCAA and EA that leaves the student athletes — who make this whole venture possible — empty-handed."
Well, EA doesn't have a ton of high-priced lawyers for nothing. But you had to figure that when video game sports simulators began to become more and more authentic, the licensing issue would continue to become more and more of a problem. Maybe it's unavoidable.
lol
"You make me appear in too many games. Who the hell gave you the right to copy paste me so many times every year?"
Haha… My turn
"I love you long time."
What???
Last edited by Jordahn on 5/7/2009 1:07:57 PM
I'm definitely on EA's side with this.
Should of just gone to USC, Sammy; they pay you and get your family a house, just like Reggie!
Since when did people start hating free promotion? Seriously, to expect every player who appears in the game to get paid is pretty retarded. Just be happy that you are in a videogame, hell I would be angry if I was a player who didn't show up on the game.
This guy did'nt help sell anything, I mean seriously who bought NCAA to play as Samuel Keller? This guy was a joke in college, and even more so now.
Make since he realized that he wasn't going to make it in the big leagues, he decided to get his quick riches elsewhere.
Didn't know who Samuel Keller was till know.He must be broke so he was looking for something that would get him a couple of bucks.In the other hand I do want EA to get sue by some one so that they share the NFL license with 2K for example.
EA ought to replace all the athletes faces with anime faces and their names with the name of their college, their position and number. No more free promotion for prospective NFL draftees.
Hells bells, do these guys not do math 101? EA gives money to the NCAA in return for the rights to do the NCAA football game. The NCAA and colleges give money to the athletes in the form of scholarships and incentives to play for one college or another. Indirectly EA is paying the athletes for their likenesses. It can't be any other way, otherwise the players are being paid as professionals, which they are not until the leave school. I think that the player(s) in this case are risking the life of the goose that lays the golden eggs. Dumb move.
Last edited by TheHighlander on 5/7/2009 3:51:26 PM
It's cute how college players have this big ego…
So when are they gonna sue all the TV broadcasters for showing them on TV? Channels like ESPN make money through cable subscriptions and selling advertisement, but they use videos and descriptions of players without paying them directly all the time.
DON'T COPY PASTE ME EA!
Money money money. That is the only reason for this.