Colorado NIL collective 5430 Alliance to host EA Sports College Football 25 launch party

Later this month, the highly anticipated EA Sports College Football 25 video game will drop. The hype has been building since news of the game’s return came out in Summer 2022, and the big day is right around the corner.

Colorado fans saw a familiar face on the cover earlier this year when Travis Hunter joined Texas star Quinn Ewers and Michigan standout Donovan Edwards. That was part of the excitement about the return of the video game, which last came out in 2014 – long before the NIL era came to be.

With Hunter on the cover, Colorado’s NIL collective, the 5430 Alliance, is also celebrating the game’s release by hosting a launch party later this month once the game becomes available to the public.

The collective is hosting the event July 19 at the University Memorial Center. There will also be a tournament, a la Madden, with Colorado players in attendance. They will also participate in a meet-and-greet.

“We are thrilled to commemorate the launch of College Football 25′ and provide our student-athletes with a platform to showcase their gaming talents,” said Natalie Sharp, 5430 Alliance executive director, in a statement. “Highlighting one of our own student-athletes on the game’s cover is incredibly special, and this release is an exciting opportunity to celebrate the evolving landscape of NIL opportunities. Fans can look forward to competing against familiar faces from the game, bridging the gap between virtual gaming and real-world athletics in a uniquely enjoyable experience.”

Colorado is among a growing list of schools hosting EA Sports College Football 25 parties. Mississippi State also announced plans to host an event, becoming the first school to do so. But the 5430 Alliance’s event is the first at a school with a cover athlete, and it will be the same day the game officially releases – unless fans purchase the Deluxe Edition, which comes out July 16.

Inside the numbers: EA Sports College Football 25

Last week was “Rankings Week” for EA Sports with three weeks to go until College Football 25 released. Tuesday morning, another Deep Dive came out, and it featured the game’s signature Dynasty Mode – which features a coaching carousel.

But now that players can be in the game thanks to NIL, fans will see some of the most notable names in the sport on their screens. In fact, EA Sports surpassed its goal of 11,000 opt-ins in what’s believed to be one of the largest NIL deals ever executed.

Just 10 days after the launch of the opt-in program, EA announced more than 10,000 athletes opted into the game. OneTeam told On3’s Pete Nakos last week EA is now north of 14,000 opt-ins ahead of the July release.

OneTeam and CLC worked hand-in-hand to facilitate the NIL deals. Athletes receive $600 plus a copy of the game for their participation.

Pete Nakos contributed.