EA Sports Increases Athlete Compensation for College Football 26

Since the start, our NIL program has been crafted to be straightforward, inclusive, and fair for everyone involved. Sean O’Brien, EA Sports’ vice president of business development, mentioned in a statement to The Athletic that every FBS athlete who decides to participate through the OneTeam platform and COMPASS NIL app is offered the same basic compensation. This setup allows each athlete to choose for themselves, reflecting the evolving nature of college sports. At EA Sports, we’re all about prioritizing athletes, especially as we gear up for the release of College Football 26 and future titles.

In the latest iteration, College Football 25, over 11,000 player likenesses were incorporated, and we anticipate a similar count for College Football 26. An EA Sports spokesperson explained to The Athletic that this change in compensation is pivotal in ensuring athletes feel acknowledged for the game’s achievements. Pathway Sports & Entertainment, a licensing group, is also stepping into the arena by securing rights to college football players’ likenesses in video games, offering $1,500 per player. According to a report by The Athletic, around 1,000 athletes have joined forces with Pathway, although their involvement won’t influence the upcoming College Football 26. However, this scenario could potentially stir up some challenges for future installments of the College Football series. Thanks to this agreement, certain players are set to earn $3,000 this year—$1,500 from Pathway and another $1,500 from EA Sports.