EA Sports has extended its deal with the Collegiate Licensing Company which handles trademark licensing and marketing services for universities.
According to a source familiar with the matter speaking with Joystiq, EA’s current extension with the CLC is for a non-exclusive college football game and the deal will span three years, starting July 1, 2014.
The CLC confirmed the report to Polygon, stating that the new contract with EA will take effect next July and run for three years – as mentioned above. This will allo EA Sports to “more than 150 colleges, conferences and bowl games” in its college football series.
EA will not pursue another contract with the NCAA for at least five years, due to EA’s proposed $27 million lawsuit settlement from last year.
The lawsuit stated EA “violated antitrust and consumer protection laws,” and the NCAA dropped the option to renew a license with EA for its football games in order to evade possible litigation itself.
The NCAA Football 2014 video game, which releases today, July 19, will be the last to include the NCAA’s name and logo – at least until all the legal issues can be sorted and until another agreement can be reached, apparently.
EA Sports executive vice president Andrew Wilson said after the NCAA announcement was made that the firm will continue to develop and publish college football games – just without the NCAA names and marks.
“Our relationship with the Collegiate Licensing Company is strong and we are already working on a new game for next generation consoles which will launch next year and feature the college teams, conferences and all the innovation fans expect from EA Sports,” he said.
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