Sorry, CBB video game fans – an EA vs. 2K standoff is ruining Kentucky’s virtual title dreams

2028 is a heck of a wait, but for the game we all know and love to return, we’d do whatever it took. Mark Pope will be on his third championship coaching at Kentucky by then, but we need to see it in virtual form, too.

Then came this week’s news, Ben Portnoy of Sports Business Journal breaking the sad news that even 2028 may be too soon for the series revival. And it’s because 2K — yes, the same folks in charge of the popular NBA video game series, along with PGA, NHL and WWE, plus Bioshock, Borderlands and others — wants in, too. Or all of it? Part of it? More of it than EA Sports wants to give up? That’s the question of the hour.

In short, EA Sports wants exclusive rights for an all-inclusive college basketball game while 2K wants only the biggest brands to participate in a narrower focus.

“The approach we’ve proposed is to create a game that includes all 350-plus NCAA Division I schools — both men’s and women’s teams included — with name, image and likeness compensation for all athletes, 32 conferences, the NCAA and all things that make ‘March Madness’ the most exciting month of sports and all the traditions and pageantry fans love,” EA Sports VP/Business Development Sean O’Brien told Sports Business Journal in a statement. “Just as we’ve done with EA Sports College Football, we want to take the same inclusive approach that represents every school and athlete in an experience that truly delivers for fans of the sport.”

As for 2K Sports, it appears they’re moving forward with their own thing — potentially as an extension of the NBA 2K series rather than an expanded standalone like EA Sports would prefer.

“We’re excited to confirm we’ve entered into non-exclusive long-term partnerships with multiple elite colleges, including UCLA with more to be announced soon, as we embark on a new college basketball project,” a 2K spokesperson told SBJ. “We’ve been building NBA 2K into more than a game for decades, representing all that is basketball on and off the court along with basketball culture at-large. It’s a platform driving the sport and culture forward, and we intend to do the same for the college experience too. We look forward to sharing more about our plans for our college basketball project in the future.”

As for the NCAA, there is a real question as to whether they’d be willing to agree to a limited release, instead previously “negotiating a comprehensive licensing agreement that benefitted men’s and women’s student-athletes from all Division I schools.”

“While the NCAA remains open to working with a gaming partner to do that, it appears the market has chosen to go in a different direction for the time being,” the NCAA told SBJ.

The bad news?

“Talks remain active and fluid, but should EA Sports not be able to retain the exclusivity it desires, sources caution it could potentially exit the college basketball gaming altogether,” Portnoy reports.

That would kill our dreams of a full March Madness experience with all 350 schools competing to cut down the nets, but if you’re looking for a positive, Kentucky should be safe regardless as the biggest brand in the sport. You’d still get to compete as your favorite players with Pope on the bench, but it just wouldn’t be the same full experience.

Get it together, guys. Figure something out and let the kids (young or old) play.

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