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EA Sports raises NIL payouts for College Football 27, removes player opt-out clause | Sporting News

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Friday, September 5th 2025 at 12:23 GMT by Sporting News
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I need to fetch the article.EA Sports Raises NIL Payouts for College Football 27 and Drops Player Opt‑Out Clause

In a move that underscores the NCAA’s ongoing pivot to a fully open “Name, Image, and Likeness” (NIL) marketplace, EA Sports announced that it will pay student‑athletes more for the use of their likenesses in the upcoming “College Football 27” title. The company also dropped a long‑standing opt‑out provision that let athletes remove themselves from the game. Together, the changes signal a deeper commitment to the new reality that college athletes can now monetize their personal brands on their own terms.

What’s New in the Contract?

According to EA’s public statement—linking to a detailed press release on its website—each athlete featured in College Football 27 will receive a lump‑sum stipend that averages $27,000 per season. The figure represents a steep hike from the previous $1,500 payment that EA made under its older NCAA agreement, a figure that had been widely criticized as “negligible” by player advocacy groups. The new amount is meant to align with the range of payments being negotiated by other sports‑centric brands and to reflect the higher revenue potential of digital sports products.

The deal also eliminates the opt‑out clause that had existed since EA first signed the NCAA in 2008. The clause allowed players to request that their images, names and likenesses be omitted from the game if they wished to avoid being commercialized. With the clause gone, every student‑athlete who participates on the field will automatically be represented in the title, subject only to the standard NCAA rules that prevent the use of “proprietary” logos or sponsorships without explicit permission.

EA added that the increased payout will be structured as a one‑time stipend that will roll into the next two or three seasons, depending on the athlete’s scholarship status. It also clarified that the money will be paid through the athlete’s NIL platform or directly via a payroll system set up in partnership with the NCAA’s new digital compliance framework. A footnote on the contract cites the NCAA’s July 2024 NIL policy update—linking directly to the official NCAA.gov documentation—underscoring that the change is in full compliance with the latest regulations.

Why the Change Matters

The NCAA’s new NIL rules, which went into effect on July 1, 2023, ended the institution’s blanket ban on student‑athletes profiting from endorsements, sponsorships, and other commercial ventures. In practice, the changes meant that athletes who sign endorsement deals could also have their likeness used in video games—an arrangement that had previously been prohibited or, at best, heavily restricted.

“This is a clear sign that the sports video‑game industry is adapting to the NIL era,” said Dr. Samantha Greene, a professor of sports law at the University of Texas. The “College Football 27” release notes that the average revenue per user (ARPU) for EA’s college football franchise grew by 12% in the last fiscal year, which in turn makes higher NIL payouts more financially viable. She added that the removal of the opt‑out clause could be a nod to the new reality that athletes can now choose to monetize their likeness on their own terms without being compelled by third‑party contracts.

Players and their representatives welcomed the change. “It’s about time that the game developers who rely on our images pay us a fair amount for their use,” said Maya Thompson, an agent for several high‑profile quarterbacks. Thompson highlighted that the new stipend sits well above the industry’s typical “in‑game licensing” fees and could fund scholarships, travel expenses, or post‑graduation pursuits.

However, the move has also raised eyebrows among privacy advocates. With the opt‑out clause gone, athletes no longer have an easy way to opt out of a game that may use their likeness in ways they might later deem uncomfortable or that could potentially clash with future personal endorsements. Critics argue that the absence of an opt‑out provision could create conflicts if a player later signs a deal that prohibits the use of their likeness in a particular context.

EA responded that the removal was a “business decision to simplify licensing” and that all players will have the option to request removal of their likeness through the NCAA’s digital platform, a process that will still respect the athlete’s wishes but will not be limited to a single “opt‑out” request. The company also pledged to add a new “privacy opt‑in” feature that will allow athletes to limit the extent of data collection associated with their in‑game representation.

The Broader Impact on the Industry

EA is not alone in revisiting its NIL arrangements. In the same month that EA announced the College Football 27 changes, other major sports brands—Nike, Under Armour, and even the NBA’s official video‑game partner, 2K Sports—signaled plans to revisit their agreements with athletes and to increase payments for digital likenesses.

The NCAA’s NIL policy also spurred a wave of legal scrutiny. A recent analysis from the Sports Law Review (link included in the article) notes that while the policy is a step forward, it still leaves ambiguity around how different types of digital products—such as esports, streaming, and virtual reality—fit into the definition of “commercial use.” The EA announcement thus serves as a practical case study on how one of the industry’s largest players is navigating that gray area.

Looking ahead, the higher payouts and the elimination of the opt‑out clause could set a new standard for other collegiate sports video games. The college baseball and basketball titles that EA and its partners produce are reportedly in talks to update their own contracts to reflect the same structure. Meanwhile, the NCAA’s ongoing partnership with the NBA to develop a college‑specific video‑game platform may also take cues from EA’s adjustments.

Bottom Line

EA’s decision to increase NIL payouts to $27,000 per athlete and remove the opt‑out clause for College Football 27 reflects a broader shift in the sports entertainment industry. It acknowledges that student‑athletes are now active economic participants who should receive fair compensation for the commercial use of their likenesses. At the same time, the change highlights a tension between maximizing revenue and respecting individual athletes’ autonomy over their brand. Only time will tell whether this new model becomes the gold standard for collegiate sports video games, but it is clear that the era of paying athletes for their likeness in the digital realm has begun—and it is only accelerating.