Mekhi Wingo addresses player's mindsets on compensation from EA Sports college football game

LSU Tigers star defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo recently addressed what players’ mindsets generally are, related to compensation from EA Sports for the new college football video game.

The popular EA Sports NCAA Football video game series in 2013, largely because it used players’ name, image, and likeness, and lawsuits were brought against the company because of that. However, since then, the landscape in college athletics has changed and in 2021 EA announced the game would return.

EA is planning on using players’ NIL in the new game, for which they are going to compensate the players. However, there is a lot of debate about that compensation, particularly how much players should be paid and if every player should receive the same amount. From Wingo’s point of view, however, most players just want the game.

“Definitely, I grew up playing the game,” Mekhi Wingo said. “I ain’t gonna say I was the best, but I was good enough, and I’m not really sure what they have planned in place for players to get compensated.”

EA Sports has contracted OneTeam Partners to facilitate NIL for the players. For it, there is a $5 million cash pool, which would pay each player $500.

“But, honestly, I feel like a lot of players in the nation just want the game back, you know,” Mekhi Wingo said. “A lot of people just want the game back so we can play it.”

Already, there have been several lawsuits launched over the proposed payment of players. The Brandr Group notably sued EA Sports, arguing that EA is “causing irreparable harm” to TBG and the athletes and that the price being paid to athletes is below market value. Athlete Advantage later released a statement in support of this lawsuit. On top of that, the College Football Playoff Association is trying to organize a boycott of the game.

EA Sports is allowing players to opt into the video game, but there still might be holdouts. Oklahoma quarterback General Booty shared his thoughts with On3.

“That’s a tough one,” Booty said. “We’ve actually been talking about that in the locker room. So, we’ve all talked about it because we want the game to come out, obviously. But we were saying if they come out and try to lowball and say we want to give everyone $200. Well, guys maybe like, like you mentioned Caleb Williams, may say no and then he’s not in the game.

Despite all of that EA Sports is still on track for a 2024 launch of the video game. When it comes out, Mekhi Wingo and other players will finally be able to use themselves in the popular game.

Paul Finebaum on the value of players in the EA video game

In June, Paul Finebaum made an appearance on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning. There he shared some of his thoughts on the EA Sports video game and the value that players actually have.

“Because right now, how many college players really matter? And I don’t mean that as an insult. I just mean it as a fact that we are fans of universities. We are not fans of individuals. We become fans of individuals once they go to the university and you guys understand that the loyalty of fan bases to those who played there is fierce. I mean, Greg McElroy and Cole Cubelic will never have to buy a drink again in Alabama because of what they did on the field and how they represented their universities,” Finebaum said.

“That’s how we feel about it. But in playing a game, I care about Auburn beating Alabama, I’m not overly concerned about the individual player.”