Skip navigation

Sports Biz

RSS FEED

» Help

Current DateTime: 09:49:30 23 Nov 2009
LinksList Documentid: 30212900

SPORTS BIZ VIDEO GALLERY

» More

Current DateTime: 09:49:30 23 Nov 2009
LinksList Documentid: 30231077
powered by digg
EA & NCAA Ignoring Lawsuit?
Published: Monday, 13 Jul 2009 | 10:18 AM ET
Text Size
By: Darren Rovell
Sports Business Reporter

If the copies of Electronic Arts' [ERTS  Loading...      ()   ] NCAA Football '10 that we received are the same that hit stores at midnight, the damages against the video game company and the NCAA could grow in the suit against them.


The two are currently defendants in a lawsuit brought by former University of Nebraska and Arizona State quarterback Sam Keller that states that the college football game over the years has used the likenesses of the college players without them sharing in the profits. Keller has maintained that although the faces aren't the same, the bio information and the dressing tendencies of the star players are nearly exact. The NCAA has said that the lawsuit is without merit.


I reviewed the top 10 players in college football as recently classified by the SportingNews.com with Chris Littmann, a senior editor for the site's blogs.


Here's what we found.


Every single one of the top 10 college players was within two inches of their real height and 10 pounds of their real weight in the game. Four athletes -- Sam Bradford, Jahvid Best, Jeremiah Masoli and Randall Hunter -- were listed at their exact heights and weights. Every single one of them had the correct eligibility status and 9 out of the top 10 players had the correct birthplace listed on the in-game bio page.


All jersey numbers were accurate, including Masoli, who switched his number from 2 to 8 in the offseason.


None of the faces look like the players (Sam Bradford has red hair in the game), but that doesn't mean that players don't look like they do on the field.

As you see below, Tebow is wearing a big wristband on his right arm in the game, as he does in real life. Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant has gloves on both hands and bands on both elbows in the game, exactly like Bryant likes to wear them.

Chris Littmann/First Cuts and AP


Should Keller eventually prevail in this lawsuit, as I believe he will, all the athletes who were infringed on this year will be entitled to get cut in on a piece of the damages.

Questions?  Comments? 

© 2009 CNBC, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Add This share icon
Text Size
  • digg share
ADD COMMENTS
Remaining characters


Current DateTime: 05:29:33 23 Nov 2009
LinksList Documentid: 29778428

Current DateTime: 10:08:24 23 Nov 2009
LinksList Documentid: 29779196

Current DateTime: 08:24:12 23 Nov 2009
LinksList Documentid: 29779199

Current DateTime: 01:08:16 23 Nov 2009
LinksList Documentid: 29779198
  Data is a real-time snapshot  *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes
Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis

© 2009 CNBC, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.
A Division of NBC Universal
Thomson ReutersThomson Reuters