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EA will pay College Football 26 athletes $1,500 for their in-game appearances, up from $600 last year

by Danny Craig · 3/19/25, 3:11 PM
EA will pay College Football 26 athletes $1,500 for their in-game appearances, up from $600 last year
Electronic Arts

EA is now paying $1,500 to players who agree to have their names, images, and likeness used in College Football 26, up from $600 for College Football 25.

The details:

  • As reported by The Athletic, EA is now asking thousands of college football players across the US for permission to use their names, images, and likenesses in the next installment of its College Football franchise. Those who agree to the request will receive a $1,500 payout, regardless of whether they are included in the final release.

  • According to the publication, over 8,000 players accepted the request for last year's title in less than a week, with a total of over 14,000 agreeing to participate in the game. Only about 11,000 of the 14,000 athletes made it to the final game, but everyone involved still received $600.

  • It's unclear what prompted EA to increase its payout this year, given College Football 25's popularity among college athletes. However, The Athletic reports that a group called Pathway Sports & Entertainment has been paying players $1,500 for their NIL, with approximately 1,000 athletes reportedly signing the agreement so far. These agreements are said to be non-exclusive, which means that players can continue to appear in the game for an additional $1,500 unless the terms change.

  • EA has denied the claims, stating that the raise was simply a way for it to give thanks to athletes who took part in last year's title, which was the first College Football entry in over a decade. It's also worth noting that EA's agreements are also reportedly non-exclusive, as players sign for the duration of their college career but have the option to opt out at the end of each year.

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