Through a twist of events, two class-action law suits against EA Sports and the NCAA have frozen production of a new video game in the final year of the contract between the two parties. Former college players have joined together to sue for the use of their likenesses ‘without permission or compensation’. 

While sports fans are not the beneficiaries of this lawsuit and therefore do not stand to gain much if the lawsuit is decided in the former players’ favor (as it appears to be heading in that direction) fans will be effected on a micro level if they are not provided the video game to purchase and play this year, and on a macro level, if players start to receive compensation for their role in college athletics, and the business therein. 

The initial suit was filed by former ASU & Nebraska starting quarterback Sam Keller in May 2009, and has caused EA to halt production of any and all NCAA Basketball video games as the costs to produce them has increased in tandem with their legal fees. The basis for the former college athlete’s standing in the video game case resides in the NFL Players Association’s $21 million settlement with Players, Inc. which used the likenesses of its retired athletes without compensation.

The former players have relied upon upstanding representation in the form of college-hero-turned-car-salesman Ed O’Bannon. The former UCLA star makes some great points in this Rivals Radio article on Yahoo Sports.

While the debate will likely rage on as to whether or not college athletes should be paid, there is no question that NCAA Basketball if BIG business, and the proceeds of which currently end up in the hands of tax-exempt universities and colleges which are happy to pass on any additional costs or lack of of revenue to consumers; sports fans need to be acutely aware of the potential implications of these court cases. 

Our unified power lies in our ability to motivate our representatives in Congress and in state legislatures across the country to push for sports fans to be respected and treated fairly whether we are purchasing tickets at our alma mater’s box office or online, watching the game on TV, or controlling Derrick Rose or John Wall with joysticks in hand.