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59 Comments
- FirstCuts, on 06/30/2009, -4/+39These lawsuits come off as really desperate.
- hybrid45, on 06/30/2009, -6/+40"nothing more than a free education?"
That's quite a payoff to throw a ball and run around for 4 years...
We've got people risking their LIVES in the military in order to get that education payoff. - NaviGATR, on 06/30/2009, -1/+23Are they just upset that they suck as much in the game as they did in real life?
- cersad, on 06/30/2009, -5/+26Well, the NCAA places college athletes in an "amateur" environment that gets universities and sports stations filthy rich while the student athletes themselves get nothing more than a free education. I'd say they have a right to get pissed at all the companies exploiting their hard work warming the benches, some of these athletes are way undervalued considering the profit they produce for their universities and corporations that cash in on it. Too bad none of those particular athletes are part of this class-action lawsuit.
- Yellowspaceman, on 06/30/2009, -1/+14Oh. You mean QB #16 and QB #12. Those guys sucked anyways.
- mostie, on 06/30/2009, -3/+14Screw those guys
- KillTheAcademy, on 06/30/2009, -2/+12I played 'em, they sucked in the game... that's why
- kesin, on 06/30/2009, -2/+10Wait....I thought everyone hated EA? This should be a good thing....
- inactive, on 06/30/2009, -0/+8Tough to agree - While the NCAA is somewhat of a racket, the vast majority of college athletes don't go on to play sports professionally, and they do get a free ride for a college education. Of course, the sheer amount of money the NCAA makes makes me think there might be some merit.
- Kanten, on 06/30/2009, -3/+9'A white guy throwing a football.'
"THAT'S MY LIKENESS, I'M GONNA SUE YOU" - Midtowner, on 06/30/2009, -1/+7I played the violin in undergrad for a mostly free ride. There are lots of ways to get a scholarship. Playing football is amongst the more difficult. There is a significant risk of serious injury and at the BCS level, these athletes help their schools rake in millions.
Don't compare what they with what people in the military do. Compare it with what I did... playing a musical instrument -- what's the worst that could happen to me? A string breaks and hits me in the eye? - rheaume, on 06/30/2009, -0/+5Diggers: "EA rocks! ***** those poor dudes! I LOVE EAAAAA"
- nate94gt, on 06/30/2009, -4/+8***** them. I'd be geeked if NCAA Football game put my face in it. now if it were something like a "pound me in the ass" porn mag, then i MIGHT have a problem with it.
- Midtowner, on 06/30/2009, -1/+5The tort I'm assuming is being sued on is called "appropriation of likeness." When this happens, one is entitled to be paid the value the other party obtained by that appropriation. Bette Midler once successfully sued an advertiser who hired a singer to imitate Midler's distinct singing style. Vanna White once successfully sued Samsung Electronics because they used a robot turning letters around on a Wheel of Fortune like game in one of their commercials. It's all about the plaintiff being paid what his individual likeness is worth. It's well tested that even a computer animation that even nearly appears to be someone else is an appropriation of their likeness. Here, I think the only question is what the value of that likeness would be.
I think it has to be something pretty significant in total, but it'd have to be something spread around to all of the players depicted in the NCAA football games. The NFL players are paid for the use of their likeness. Similar football games who didn't get to use players' likenesses have failed as compared to EA's games. It stands to reason that there are damages here. I'd actually like to see these players get paid. The NCAA might not like it, but the NCAA doesn't write the law, just their own rules. If all players were being paid by EA Sports for an appropriation of their likeness, the NCAA would either have to change its own rules to allow the transfer of wealth or sue EA Sports for money or an injunction. - mizatt, on 06/30/2009, -1/+5Because players, coaches and athletic programs bring in the most money and get the most attention. Welcome to capitalism!
"Didn't do ***** to earn it?" They generate revenue. I'm sorry that some people sign up to get shot at instead, but if I take 10 cents to eat a ***** sandwich and someone else makes 20 an hour doing something more pleasant, that's not their fault. Nobility is a great trait to have as a human being and I respect what soldiers do but people shouldn't confuse nobility with earning power. - inactive, on 06/30/2009, -1/+4cowz..that highest paid faculty member brings in MORE money than he is paid. That is why.
- ousthouse, on 06/30/2009, -0/+3@hybrid45
I'd say the demands are about the same... not to mention that most of the football players aren't very bright to begin with. - jba68, on 06/30/2009, -1/+4I guess they have to make money somehow, It must be tough to realize that in the real world, noone gives a crap if you were star qb in High school. You suck, get over yourselves. If you had paid attention in class, you would have an education.
- jba68, on 06/30/2009, -1/+4Yea, they are really exploited. Free education ( for those on scholarship) coeds fallling all over them.. free food...free books...
please. Maybe its not the million EA is raking in, but don't use the argument they are exploited. They could be paying for their educaiton, or actually taking their place in the workforce. - wc3452, on 06/30/2009, -1/+3Sam Keller is a douche bag. He once threw a cup and yelled at some lady who took his parking spot. The only reason he ever played for the Huskers is because his dad and Bill Callahan were buddies. He didn't earn the starting job, it was gifted to him. Now that he realized he has no future as an NFL player, he wants to make some money by suing EA. Why doesn't he sue Adidas for printing jerseys with his number on it, even though his name wasn't printed on the back the number is popular because he was wearing it.
- TylerDurden76, on 07/01/2009, -0/+2Well, if they win, I'll ready up the lynch mob, since this will spell the doom of NCAA Football game series.
- inactive, on 07/01/2009, -0/+2Oh I go to Rutgers. This looks real nice. He was a ***** loser
- bwjacket, on 06/30/2009, -2/+4They were probably pretty happy about it too, then they realized, "hey, I can probably make money off of this. That ***** job I have as a result of not learning anything in high school or college pays pretty poorly and doesn't support my coke habit."
- bigbadgoat, on 06/30/2009, -3/+5I had the opportunity to work with the folks at EA Canada for 4 months on a work term. I can tell you one thing, those guys are passionate about making the best games possible, and do everything in their power to make sure it happens.
Yes EA has had a reputation of putting out the same regurgitated crap year after year, but things have changed, especially since Peter Moore took over. Look at the NHL series, and how much it has improved over the past 2-3 years, look at Fight Night 4, look at FIFA. Look at the new titles like Dead Space, Facebreaker and Mirror's Edge. They're spending millions on making the best games possible. Sometimes it pays off (NHL, FIFA, Dead Space), sometimes it doesn't (Facebreaker, NFS: Underground), but they're trying.
I know I sound like a walking EA promo, but after spending time with some of the most amazing and inspiring individuals I've ever had the pleasure of working for, it's hard not to root for them. - wc3452, on 06/30/2009, -0/+2EA Sports, if it's in the game, it's in the game...
- hybrid45, on 06/30/2009, -0/+2@ousthouse demands placed on athletes and time management are pretty subjective. Athletes can easily find the time and resources (of which they have more than the average college student) to work toward a "worthwhile" degree if they have the desire to do so.
You think a football player has more demands and less time than the pre-med student working two full-time jobs to cover tuition and books? - cersad, on 07/01/2009, -0/+2Well, normally they've already signed their rights away to the advertisers and TV networks just by signing up to play. Kinda like the cheerleaders, pom squads, marching bands, and whatever other traditional spirit groups that perform on the field on the air, everyone has to sign those waivers to participate. The networks are the real winners here.
- JCEEZ, on 06/30/2009, -1/+3WTF!
Man I would have given (almost) anything to be able to have played football at the College level.....(NFL even better)
No one forced them to play. - jtbndy, on 07/01/2009, -0/+2The only reason I see this case having some merit are due to in game stats. When EA has a player QB#12 with the same number, height, weight, and other physical characteristics as the real life counterpart, they are trying to benefit from the likeness of the RL person.
Yes, this case sounds desperate, but may have some merit. If EA kept all the physical stats the same each year, then this would have no merit, but if they update it each year to the exact physical characteristics of the actual people, EA might be in some trouble. - Twoje, on 07/02/2009, -0/+2Go Bucks!
- Midtowner, on 06/30/2009, -1/+3Vanna White won a case for Samsung animating a robot which turned letters a la wheel of fortune, so why not? The #16 and #12 QB on certain teams who have similar characteristics as the real life person? That's a likeness. Did EA profit? Definitely.
That's all you have to show to win damages here. Companies can't use your image for profit without your consent. Your own likeness is your own property.
The concept really isn't all that difficult. - hybrid45, on 07/01/2009, -0/+1@ousthouse
So, you're telling me that college football players practice on an average of 80 hours per week? Since we're going completely on opinions here, I'm gonna guess they practice perhaps 40 (and that's generous imo) and party with their friends/teammates at least another 20-30 per week (depending on their scheduled games, of course) That pre-med student working those two full-time jobs is working those jobs all year long, not just during the football season.
So no, I wouldn't say the demands are the same. Even someone "not so bright" can get a PhD in something useful if they have the drive and discipline to do so. And having played an organized sport for likely most of their lives, college football players should have above-average discipline. - RegalBegal, on 06/30/2009, -3/+4I'm still pissed about EA getting an exclusivity deal with the NFL for Madden. ***** 'em.
- BobSagetFan, on 06/30/2009, -4/+5Who gives a *****. I like it how one of those guys played college football before the ***** video game even existed.
These players are just trying to get some money, because they couldn't get into the NFL and probably never even made use of the free education they got just for throwing a ball around. I doubt any of them are legitimately offended that they were in a video game. - jeffwmartin, on 07/01/2009, -0/+1@c0wz: Let's not forget you were getting paid while you were in the service, so you are not just getting a 4 year education for your work.
- FlaG8r, on 06/30/2009, -3/+4Three guys that couldn't make it in the real world trying to cash in on their college 'success'.
I hope they don't win. It would signal the end of college sports video games. - deavyin, on 07/01/2009, -0/+1If EA can buy exclusive rights to use the NFL namesake and likeness of all the players, then EA should not be allowed to use any players without their permission. If Sega had used a single NFL player for their 2K series, after EA bought the exclusive rights to the NFL, then they would have been sued into oblivion by EvilA'holes. Why should EA deserve legal protection but not the individual players?
- swiftekho, on 06/30/2009, -1/+2It's not like some CEO is benefiting from college athletes. Public universities by default have to make sure to spend all the money that comes in whether it's through paying teachers, building new stadiums, or creating new scholarships. I know personally that my university (Louisville) has been pumping loads of money into student life, such as building new dorms and better eateries on campus among other things but they are also building a new arena for basketball (which will in turn make more money for other things).
- ousthouse, on 06/30/2009, -1/+2Football is so demanding of these "students-athletes" that they don't have time to major in anything of any real worth... Criminology and "General Studies" tend to be the most popular.
- bigbadgoat, on 06/30/2009, -1/+2@rheaume
well I'm from Newfoundland, and went to school at Memorial University.
@riotHeart
EA's games had the highest metacritic of any developer last year. They make a lot of great games. A lot of ***** comes up when you're developing. Sometimes ideas that seem great on paper end up being horrible and no fun to play. Sometimes features need to be cut because of delays and other unforseen expenses, that make a game a fragment of what the developers intended. When you make as many games as EA does of the likelihood of these issues coming up dramatically increases. - Csma, on 06/30/2009, -3/+4WHAT THE? Troy Taylor was my high school football coach. That guy always talked about his days at cal..... Why would he sue it doesn't make any sense..
- RegalBegal, on 07/01/2009, -0/+1i already hate the NFL.
- Gregus1032, on 06/30/2009, -1/+1Don't get mad at EA, get mad at the NFL. They put the license up for bids.
- pattyme, on 06/30/2009, -3/+3They all sucked ass, no one will ever hear of them in the future (when it comes to football, not lawsuits). They suck *****, the end.
- RiotHeart, on 06/30/2009, -3/+3If they are passionate about the games they make and they are still *****, i'd hate to see what the games they get lazy on look like...
- rudolphe1, on 06/30/2009, -4/+4I hope they do win, what gives EA the right to make money off people without getting their permission? These players are already exploited out the wazoo by advertisers, television networks, universities and so on...
- poonjob, on 07/01/2009, -2/+2O-H-I-O
- jocknerd, on 06/30/2009, -1/+1Why? Just don't show pictures of players.
- bandc1977, on 10/09/2009, -0/+0Saying that the player "look" like them is a stretch. Even Madden 10 on feild players don't look that real. These guys should let it go. Had then been sucessful in football they wouldn't need the money.
- Boilerup8986, on 07/01/2009, -1/+0They don't show pictures of players.
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