EA Sports facing lawsuit amid NIL battle over college football video game

A licensing group is suing EA Sports over the NIL deals the company is offering athletes to appear in its upcoming college football video game, according to Front Office Sports' Amanda Christovich.

The Brandr Group, which negotiates group licensing deals for 54 Division I schools, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in the North District of California, Christovich reports.

EA Sports and the Brandr Group have reportedly been in contact since 2021 regarding the video game producer's plans to offer NIL deals.

However, EA struck a deal to work with OneTeam Partners in May to facilitate a group licensing deal with athletes, Christovich adds. EA Sports announced later that month that college athletes could opt in and receive compensation for appearing in the game. Brandr argues in the lawsuit that it should be allowed to negotiate deals for athletes at the schools it represents, adding that any bargaining done by EA Sports without them is "tortious interference."

"(EA) places (Brandr's) partner schools in the unenviable position of either breaching their contracts with (Brandr) or potentially losing the opportunity for themselves and their athletes to participate in the game," the lawsuit said.

EA Sports is reportedly offering $500 to each collegiate athlete to appear in the game. Brandr claims the compensation is below market value, per Christovich.

Athletes and schools have until June 30 to decide if they want to appear in the game, the lawsuit states.

EA Sports hasn't released a college football game since 2013. The video game is scheduled to be released in 2024.

The company confirmed that more than 120 FBS schools, all 10 FBS conferences, and the College Football Playoff committed to appearing in the reprisal of the franchise.