Partnership looks to merge real, virtual - Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque)

Back and forth The content also is flowing from EA Sports to ESPN.Electronic Arts provides graphics and simulations to ESPN, which thenetwork uses to help explain game situations to fans. EA also runssimulations to help predict the outcome of some sporting events, thecompanies said. ESPN.com has a video game link on its Web site, inwhich users can see what the latest NFL draft picks will look like intheir new uniforms, thanks to screen grabs from 'Madden' provided byEA.

BRISTOL, Conn. - The line between real and fantasy sports is aboutto become a little more blurred.

A partnership with ESPN is allowing video game maker ElectronicArts Inc. to dramatically increase real-time content in sports-themed video games.

Starting with this summer's release of the Madden NFL game,players with a modem high-speed Internet connection can have real-life action directly affect what happens in their video games.

Some hard-core gamers are cheering the innovations, which they saybring video games and real-life sports closer than ever. But criticscaution about the idea of merging real life with the fantasy world ofvideo games.

'For many people, that's going to be very exciting,' said DavidWalsh, a psychologist and president of the National Institute onMedia and the Family. 'For some other people it could becomeaddictive and can have the same harmful effects that other addictionshave.'

EA Sports said it doesn't know if the changes will mean priceincreases for games now costing about $60 for Sony PlayStation 3 orMicrosoft Xbox 360 owners.

ESPN signed a 15-year marketing agreement last year with RedwoodCity, Calif.-based Electronic Arts, which reported 2006 revenues of$2.95 billion. Its most popular sports titles include NBA Live, NCAABaseball and its Madden game, which features broadcaster and formercoach John Madden.

Some PS3 and Xbox gamers already receive some ESPN content intheir EA games, including podcasts of ESPN radio shows, videohighlights and a real-time sports ticker.

'The idea is that someone playing the game won't have to turn itoff or switch to the television to get sports news,' said RaphaelPoplock, ESPN's interactive gaming manager.

Beginning in August, thanks to a deal with The Weather Channel, aMadden'08 NFL game at the Baltimore Ravens'stadium automatically willbe set in the snow if it happens to be snowing that day on Maryland'sAtlantic coast.

Similar innovations soon will allow an option to incorporatecurrent sports news and statistics from ESPN into the game.

'So if a guy in the real world twists his ankle, you can't use himin the game until he gets back,' said Aaron LaBerge, senior vicepresident of technology and product development for ESPN.

A baseball star on a hot streak temporarily could become a betterhitter in EA Sports'MLB title, and a Cinderella upset in the NCAAbasketball tournament immediately could be reflected in the MarchMadness video game, he said.

Todd Sitrin, marketing director for Electronic Arts, said thecompanies hope to turn watching sports into an active, instead of apassive, experience.

'What we're trying to do is grow that and show to sports fans thatthere is a way to make this a personal relationship with your sportsfandom,' Sitrin said.

Innovations are expected to be phased into games over the next fewyears, the companies said.

cyber-Hoop dreams If you aren't a net superstar, maybe you can score onscreen - Chicago Sun-Times

With college basketball hitting its peak with tonight's NCAAfinals, we've compiled a list of some of our favorite hoops titles.Unfortunately, not every one is a slam dunk.

NBA 2K3

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

From: Sega

Reviewed for: Xbox

Rated: E for Everyone

If I was an executive at EA Sports, I'd be nervous.

EA Sports' basketball titles used to be the definitive champions.Like the Bulls, they were unstoppable in their time. But I found EA'stitles this year to be lackluster.

Sega, meanwhile, seems to be taking its cues from the DetroitPistons. Much like the team from the Motor City, Sega's game hasimproved leaps and bounds over last year. The ESPN branding lends anauthenticity to game play. Players are incredibly detailed, rightdown to the tattoos on their forearms, and the arenas are more orless faithfully rendered as well.

If there is anything to criticize, it's the game's artificialintelligence. CPU-controlled players have a tendency to push you outof bounds. They also have a tendency to take half-court 'Hail Mary'shots and actually make them more often than not.

Despite this, the game is nothing but net.

Misha Davenport

NCAA 2K3 COLLEGE BASKETBALL

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

From: Sega

Reviewed for: Xbox

Rated: E for everyone

If you're wondering what Sega has done with the ESPN license sinceit wrestled it away from Konami last year, look no further than 'NCAA2K3.' I played this game in between watching the Big Ten playoffs onESPN, and it was sometimes hard to tell where the live coverage endedand the game began.

Granted, the rather blandly rendered players could be morerealistic. NCAA rules prohibit players' names and likenesses frombeing used in a licensed game, though. Sega makes up for it throughdetailed arenas, crowds and the lifelike movements of the players.

Misha Davenport

NBA LIVE 2003

RECOMMENDED

From: EA Sports

Reviewed for: GameCube

Rated: E for everyone

After Sega's superb basketball titles, EA's 'NBA Live 2003' comesoff as a runner-up. Think of it as an attractive bridesmaid, ratherthan the bride.

There's nothing inherently wrong with this game. The action issurprisingly seamless and moves at a brisk pace. But there's alsonothing new that will excite fans who own the predecessors to thisgame. As before, the computer will beat you down if your guys aren'tup to speed with its players.

The crowd noise is enthusiastic throughout the game and makes upfor the cloying commentary. And there are some good rap songs on thesoundtrack by the likes of Snoop Dogg.

The players have a realistic look to them, but their features areoff a tad. A little graphical tweaking would've perfected theircharacteristics and given their arms and legs a less sluggish,cartoonish feel. As for the stadiums, the United Center looks prettymuch the same as any other, and you never know where you are.

Jae-Ha Kim

NBA INSIDE DRIVE 2003

RECOMMENDED

From: Microsoft

Reviewed for: XBox

Rated: E for everyone

In the crowded field of basketball video games, something has toset a title apart from the crowd. For Microsoft, it's all aboutgetting you in the game.

What sets 'NBA Inside Drive 2003' apart from all the other titlesis the RPG element of the 'Create a Player' mode. You controlappearance, background and skills. I was able to create a player whoclosely resembled me--of course he had a better jump shot, though. Asyou play through several games, you pick up additional skills thattake you from bench-warmer to superstar in no time. It makes for ahighly addictive game.

The game's one drawback is the absence of online play. For all theresources Microsoft has put into its XBox Live, it's odd that its ownbasketball title wouldn't support it. Oh, well, there's always nextyear.

Misha Davenport

NBA SHOOTOUT 2003

SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED

From: 989 Sports

Reviewed for: PS2

Rated: E for everyone

Much has been made of the graphical limitations of PlayStation.However, games such as the 'Grand Theft Auto' series show that, doneright, the visuals can be just as vivid as the gameplay.Unfortunately, that doesn't translate to 'NBA Shootout 2003,' wherethe players are mostly unrecognizable and almost blocklike. In reallife, basketball is a deceptively fluid and graceful game. But here,the moves are choppy.

The player is given the option of playing in exhibition, regularseason and playoff modes. Go for the exhibition setting, which is themost fun for players who want to have a little more control of theirb-ball. Creating a player to challenge the foe of your choice is akick. I particularly enjoyed pitting my 5-foot-7, 100-pound scrapperagainst the likes of Shaq and watching him outdunk the pros.

The commentary flows at a nice pace and is helpful in ID'ing theplayers. Trust me, you need this function, because unless yourecognize their numbers, you won't be able to tell apart theirpixilated faces.

Jae-Ha Kim

DISNEY SPORTS BASKETBALL

SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED

From: Konami

Reviewed for: GameCube

Rated: E for everyone

Software giant Konami has taken it upon itself to answer the onequestion that has been plaguing mankind since 1927: Sure, the mouseis cute, but has Mickey got game?

'DSB' is a kids' game that features Mickey, Donald and others inexhibition, regular season, playoff and all-star game modes, justlike the grownup titles. The two-player game was fun, especially whenI played as Minnie and smacked the ball out of a certain sputteringduck's hands, took a Hail Mary shot from midcourt and actually madethe basket.

The single-player games were a lot more difficult. Passing is theworst, because the player you are passing to is usually offscreen.Most of the time, the computer-controlled team ended up stealing theball before I realized that my player was in position. It makes thegame ideal for family fun (up to four can play against each other),but most kids are going to find the computer in the one-on-one modetoo difficult.

Now that that's settled, we can move onto more pressing matters.Such as whether white ducks can jump.

Misha Davenport

NCAA FINAL FOUR 2003

SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED

From: 989 Sports

Reviewed for: PS2

Rated: E for everyone

I've generally found that playing college sports games is more funthan selecting pro teams with known players. Because colleges don'tlicense game publishers to use their players' likenesses, there is noChris Thomas playing for Notre Dame. You're more in control when youplay as your favorite team.

This game's strength is in the variety of modes. Besides basicseason and tournament, there are two different dynasty modes thatallow you to have more control of your team in terms of coaching andeven practice. Unfortunately, actual play is hindered by clumsyfunctions, such as not allowing enough time to hit the pass button.Honestly, I doubt even Thomas could pass the ball in less time thanthis game allows you to hit certain buttons.

One thing that might pep up this franchise is the inclusion ofcheerleaders during the game. I'm not talking about dancers prancingaround at halftime, but rather acrobatic young women (and men) whomake up the squads for elite cheerleading squads like Notre Dame andUCLA.

Jae-Ha Kim

NBA STARTING FIVE

NOT RECOMMENDED

From: Konami

Reviewed for: PS2

Rated: E for everyone

I've always been able to excel in sports--via a video game, Imean. I can't skateboard for the life of me, but give me a Tony Hawkgame and I can execute tricks worthy of a gold medal. Skiing in reallife? I don't think so. But I'm a virtual whiz if you give me acouple hours to 'work out.'

So it was with some concern that I discovered I am a betterbasketball player on a real court than I am when playing 'NBAStarting Five.' I realized this was one of those rare cases where itreally isn't me--it's them.

The rebound function is so screwed up on this game, it defieslogic. A ball goes up and lands a couple of feet away from theplayer. What does he do? He walks at almost a turtle's pace to getit. Instead of getting cut from the team, this same player then goeson inexplicably to miss shots that a kid would be able to make duringa game of H.O.R.S.E.

These kinks are easy to overlook during the first half hour or soof gameplay. But after that, why bother? None of the other featuresis compelling enough to make you want to deal with the mess.

EA Sports Puts NBA All-Star Kevin Durant on Cover of NBA Elite 11 - Wireless News

Wireless News
06-25-2010
EA Sports Puts NBA All-Star Kevin Durant on Cover of NBA Elite 11
Type: News

Electronic Arts Inc. announced that Oklahoma City Thunder small forward, Kevin Durant, will be the cover athlete for NBA Elite 11.

A 2010 NBA All-Star, Durant became the youngest player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring this past season, and he helped lead the Thunder to a 50 win season and an NBA Playoffs berth. The Company said NBA Elite 11 is currently in development under the EA Sports brand by EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C. and will be available worldwide this October.
NBA Elite 11 introduces significant gameplay changes that promise to revolutionize the basketball videogame experience, the Company noted. Hands-On Control is a new control scheme that allows for one- to-one responsiveness of a player's movement and actions on the court, as opposed to predetermined animations from the past that require users to wait while a scenario played out before making the next move.

'I've always been a fan of EA Sports,' said Durant. 'This has been an exciting year for me and the team, and capping it off with being on the cover of NBA Elite 11 is cool.'

'Durant is a game changer,' said Jordan Edelstein, VP Marketing, EA Sports. 'There has never been a player his size with his skill set, and there has never before been a basketball videogame like NBA Elite. Just like we see Durant as the future of the NBA, NBA Elite 11 represents the future of basketball videogames by providing a gameplay experience you simply won't find anywhere else on the market.'

Durant is only the third player in EA Sports history to be featured both on the pack of an NCAA and an NBA licensed product, according to the Company. Durant was featured on the cover of NCAA March Madness 08.

NBA Elite 11 will be available for the Playstation3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a global interactive entertainment software company.

NBA Elite 11:

nbaelite.easports.com

EA Sports:

easports.com

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

Copyright 2010 Close-Up Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
n/a

O'Bannon files suit vs. NCAA.(SPORTS) - The Washington Times (Washington, DC)

Byline: Tim Lemke, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Former UCLA basketball standout Ed O'Bannon has filed a class action lawsuit seeking to stop the NCAA from licensing the images and likenesses of former college athletes in DVDs, photographs and other products.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, says the NCAA has improperly benefited from using former Division I football and basketball players' images even after they stopped playing and seeks an injunction to stop the practice.

It also seeks damages and an accounting of the money made by the NCAA from past licensing. In addition, the lawsuit says the NCAA has violated antitrust laws by not allowing athletes to negotiate their own licensing deals.

O'Bannon, a member of UCLA's 1995 national championship team, is the only player named in the suit. But attorneys said the case was filed on behalf of thousands of athletes.

We're going to assist them in challenging the NCAA's right to license their [image] and likeness, said Megan Jones, an attorney in the D.C. office of Hausfeld LLP, one of the firms representing O'Bannon. As the growth of technology has increased, so has the means by which the NCAA can license these images. There's been an awakening in the players because they're seeing themselves more and more places. And they're asking, 'How did I get there without anyone talking to me?''

The NCAA declined to comment because it had not reviewed the lawsuit. In the past, it has denied any infringement of athletes' rights, arguing that paying players would be contrary to the basis of amateur athletics.

O'Bannon agreed to be the lead plaintiff in the case after meeting with Sonny Vaccaro, a former sports marketing executive who has toured the country the last two years to speak out against the NCAA's lack of compensation for players.

I just really want people to understand that it's all about exploitation, O'Bannon said. The NCAA has exploited its ex-players and student athletes, and it's about time everyone sees that.

Vaccaro called the NCAA's refusal to compensate former players for the licensing of their images the ultimate servitude.

They don't have the right in perpetuity, he said Tuesday. No one has the right to anything for an indeterminate amount of time.

The lawsuit does not ask for a specific amount in damages. But any award likely would be sizable; the NCAA licenses a wide array of products while also allowing for broadcasts of past games and other events involving players.

This is not the first legal challenge to the NCAA's use of college players' images. In May, former Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller sued the NCAA and video game-maker EA Sports on the grounds that the company had no right to use players' likenesses in its games. EA Sports and the NCAA have claimed innocence, arguing that the games do not use photos or names of players.

Legal analysts said there is a good chance this latest case will survive at least initial legal challenges because of the roster of experienced and high-profile attorneys involved. Hausfeld is seen as one of the top class action litigators in the country. Other attorneys include David Boies, who worked on behalf of former Vice President Al Gore during the recount of the 2000 presidential election.

But experts said handicapping the case could be challenging.

Whatever benefits there are in promoting the amateur mission of the NCAA for existing college players, I'm not sure that argument is as salient in the context of [retired] guys, said Michael McCann, associate professor at Vermont Law School and a columnist for SI.com. A guy like Ed O'Bannon, did he give up the right to license his image just by being a college athlete? The NCAA could argue that 'yeah, you do. There's free tuition and all the benefits you get as a college player.' So it will be interesting because there are good arguments on both sides.

CAPTION(S):

REGIONAL SCENE.(Sports) - Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)

VOLLEYBALL

Rogers fuels CSU's sweep past Wyoming

The No. 9 Colorado State volleyball team (20-2, 11-1) swept 30-21, 30-27, 30-24 against Mountain West Conference nemesis Wyoming (13-11, 6-6) behind another balanced Rams attack at Laramie.

Tess Rogers hit .476 with 14 kills, Bri Frech hit .400 with 10 kills, Dre Downs hit .389 with 10 kills, and Katie Jo Shirley-Cahoon hit .381 with 11 kills for CSU.

Rachel Smith paced Wyoming with a .419 hitting percentage.

* Sophomore outside hitter Lisa Hunter returned from a 13-match absence because of injury to record 14 kills and help the University of Denver (11-13, 5-7 Sun Belt) to a 30-21, 30-26, 30-24 victory against host Louisiana- Lafayette (7-20, 3-9).

HOCKEY

Sterling's goal puts win in Tigers' tank

Brett Sterling scored his seventh goal of the season at the 1-minute, 33-second mark of overtime to lift unbeaten Colorado College (5-0, 1-0) to a 3-2 win against Western Collegiate Hockey Association power North Dakota (4-3-2, 2-2-1) in Grand Forks, N.D.

CC senior defenseman Richard Petiot forced the overtime with a goal at 14:16 of the third period.

* Peter Ambroziak's second goal at 1:41 of overtime handed the Central Hockey League's New Mexico Scorpions a 3-2 win against the Colorado Eagles at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland.

SOCCER

Hendricks scores pair to edge San Diego St.

Travis Hendricks scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season as the University of Denver men's team (9-5-1, 6-3-0) took a 2-0 victory Friday against Mountain Pacific Sports Federation rival San Diego State (3-12-2, 3-6-1) at Pioneer Field.

Freshman goalkeeper and former Poudre High School athlete Matt Bredehoft made three saves in his fourth shutout of the season.

* David Schill scored his first career goal and assisted on another as the Air Force men's team (7-8-1, 3-6 MPSF) collected a 3-0 victory against Nevada-Las

Vegas (6-10, 5-5) at the Cadet Soccer Stadium.

* Drake University forward Andrea Schmitz, a junior from Cherry Creek High School, has been named the Missouri

Valley Conference women's soccer player of the year.

Former Columbine High School defender Lindsey Portincaso also was a first-team all- MVC selection for Drake. Former Pomona High School midfielder Sara Foote was a second-team choice and was on the all-freshman team for the Bulldogs.

* The University of Wyoming women's team placed four players on the all-Mountain West Conference team, including former Littleton High School athlete Mercy Adetoye.

Cowgirls junior defender Kara Walters, senior forward Mari Gomes and senior midfielder

Lindsey Vossbrink, a former -Dakota Ridge athlete, were selected to the all-MWC second team. Air Force's Elaine Tatarek also was a second-team choice.

ETC.

Pioneers' Jarosch first at Calif. tourney

University of Denver golfer Barrett Jarosch tied his low career round with a 65 to win medalist honors in the Del Walker Intercollegiate golf tournament at Virginia Country Club in Long Beach, Calif.

Jarosch's round gave him a tournament total of 209. DU finished second, three shots back of winner Lamar University.

* Cherry Hills Village resident and former Cherry Creek High School athlete Nicole Cutler was tied for 15th place with a total 292 after the fourth round of the 2005 Futures Tour Qualifying Tournament in Lakeland, Fla.

* Nicole Leimbach, a Southern California freshman from Pine Creek High School, advanced to the semifinals of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Indoor singles championships in Ann Arbor, Mich., with two victories.

* Former Highlands Ranch High School athlete Ann Strother scored 23 points as defending NCAA champion Connecticut beat EA Sports 75-69 in an exhibition basketball game at Storrs, Conn.

* The Kempe Children's Foundation will host its first Kempe Celebrity Jam at 2:30 p.m. today at Magness Arena.

NOTEBOOK: LITTLE GUYS CAN PUT TALENT ON EXHIBIT.(Sports) - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

Those quirky team names such as Branch West Basketball Academy, Love 'N Basketball and EA All-Stars won't be on Division I schedules anymore.

As part of several NCAA rule changes in college basketball, programs will no longer play traveling or club teams. Instead, they must play accredited four-year universities, meaning NAIA teams such as The Master's College or Cal Baptist will now be on big-time schedules.

The Master's College men's basketball coach Bill Oates, who also serves as the school's athletic director, welcomed the change.

``We like it from the standpoint that we enjoy playing Division I schools and haven't been able to schedule them,'' Oates said. ``Usually, they'll play exhibition or club teams. It's a chance for us to play against great competition and see where we're at.''

Division I schools can play two exhibition games but NAIA schools are allowed to play only one. The Master's College will play USC as an exhibition game on Nov. 12 but its Nov. 8 game against Cal State Northridge will count as a regular-season game. For Cal State Northridge, it is an exhibition game.

``Actually, I think it's a good thing because of the competition and we have the opportunity to help NAIA schools and Division II schools,'' CSUN coach Bobby Braswell said. ``I feel better giving these teams (guaranteed) money than these traveling teams and all-star teams.''

CSUN plays The Master's and UC San Diego as part of its exhibition schedule. USC plays Occidental College and The Master's. UCLA plays Simon Fraser, a university in Canada, and Centro Universitario Mineiro Uberlandia, a university from Brazil. Pepperdine plays Fort Lewis (Colo.) and Cal Baptist.

Local basketball gurus Dana and David Pump used to run as many as six EA Sports All-Star teams that played games at schools throughout the country. David Pump said they made anywhere from $3,000-15,000 a game.

--Pepperdine transfers: Pepperdine senior guard Terrance Johnson did not meet NCAA requirements and was ruled academically ineligible. He transferred to NAIA Cal Baptist. Johnson was the Waves' third-leading scorer with 14.8 points per game. Shaun Davis, who averaged 8.1 points as a freshman last year, was ineligible and transferred to College of Southern Idaho.

--News and notes: Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun was named the recipient of the Legends of Coaching John R. Wooden Award at the college basketball tipoff luncheon Thursday at the Los Angeles Downtown Athletic Club.

Jill Painter, (818) 713-3615

Steelers' Ward held at gunpoint in mix-up over reported stolen car.(Sports) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

LOS ANGELES | Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and 'Dancing With the Stars' contestant Hines Ward was briefly detained at gunpoint Thursday in a mix-up over a reported stolen car, but he was released without being arrested, police said.

Ward and a female friend were stopped in her car at about 1:30 a.m. in North Hollywood because she had reported the car stolen April 19, Sgt. Maria Morrison said.

The two had left a restaurant, officer Sara Faden said.

Police took Ward out of the car at gunpoint and handcuffed him, Morrison said. Ward and the woman were released after she was able to prove the car was hers.

IN OTHER FOOTBALL NEWS

Former NFL lineman Gene Gossage, a member of the Philadelphia Eagles' 1960 NFL championship team, has died. He was 76.

Former NFL wide receiver Donald 'Reche' Caldwell faces a drug charge in the Tampa Bay area, where he is from.

tennis

Djokovic extends his torrid start

MADRID | Novak Djokovic extended his season-opening winning streak to 29 matches Thursday at the Madrid Open, equaling the best start in men's tennis in 25 years.

The Australian Open champion won all 21 of his first service points to defeat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1, 6-2 and advance to the quarterfinals. He was joined by fellow third-round winner Roger Federer and top-ranked Rafael Nadal, who advanced after opponent Juan Martin del Potro withdrew with a hip injury.

IN OTHER NEWS

Julia Goerges of Germany upset Caroline Wozniacki in a second straight tournament Thursday, ousting the top-ranked Dane 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 in the third round of the Madrid Open.

boxing

Mayweather faces more charges

LAS VEGAS | Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. is facing new misdemeanor harassment charges accusing him of threatening two homeowner association security guards outside his Las Vegas home.

Mayweather already faces a September trial on a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from allegations that he poked a 21-year-old guard in the face during a separate argument in November.

courts

Judge dismisses EA from NCAA lawsuit

SAN FRANCISCO | A federal judge has dismissed video game maker Electronic Arts Inc. from a high-profile antitrust lawsuit challenging the NCAA's long-standing prohibition against paying student athletes for their performance.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken on Monday refused to drop the bulk of the case, which accuses the NCAA and its marketing company of operating an illegal sports marketing monopoly.

The judge refused to dismiss the NCAA and Collegiate Licensing Co. from the lawsuit that seeks to become a class action representing thousands of former football and basketball players who say the NCAA illegally controls their images forever without compensation.

basketball

Shaq set to return to Celts for Game 3

WALTHAM, Mass. | Shaquille O'Neal is expected to play for the Boston Celtics in the playoffs for the first time in Game 3 against Miami.

Coach Doc Rivers said Thursday the center probably will return from a right calf injury Saturday night against the Heat, who leads the Eastern Conference semifinal series 2-0.

IN OTHER NEWS

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors has won the Joe Dumars Trophy presented to the NBA player who best exemplifies sportsmanship.

Connecticut swingman Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, who was arrested on drug charges, plans to transfer, the school said Thursday.

UC Davis has hired former Bradley coach Jim Les to take over its men's basketball program.

golf

Haas off to hot start at Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. | Bill Haas made easy birdies on the par 5s and didn't run into any problems Thursday at the Wells Fargo Championship, matching the tournament record for low opening round with an 8-under 64.

Haas has a two-shot lead over Jonathan Byrd and Lucas Glover.

IN OTHER GOLF NEWS

Tom Lehman shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead Thursday in the first round of the Regions Tradition at Shoal Creek, the first Champions Tour major of the season.

Scottish rookie Scott Jamieson shot a 6-under 66 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Spanish Open on Thursday.

in other news

Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee says he expects coach Bruce Boudreau to be back next season.

Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis can be on the ballot for a New Jersey state Senate primary after all. A federal appeals court in Philadelphia ruled Thursday the ballots should be printed with his name.

Pitcher Roy Oswalt returned Thursday to the Philadelphia Phillies, eight days after he left to be with his family in Weir, Miss., which was ravaged by tornadoes.

CAPTION(S):

Hines Ward

Djokovic

EA Makes the 'Impossible Possible' with The Coca-Cola Zero™ Story of Finals for 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. - Leisure & Travel Business

What if you could kick the winning goal that gives your favorite team a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Finals? What if you could change the outcome of the final match? Now you can. Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) and Coca-Cola Zero™ are teaming up to launch a free* online service called The Coca-Cola Zero Story of the Finals for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ videogame from EA SPORTS™. The feature will enable gamers to relive crucial moments from the actual tournament hours after games have been played. The free service from EA SPORTS will be available for the PlayStation[R]3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360[R] videogame and entertainment system.

'This is an ambitious and completely unique feature that has never before been attempted for soccer videogames,' said Executive Producer Kaz Makita. 'The hopes and dreams of nations will rise and fall throughout the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final and within hours after the real matches have occurred our development team will re-create the storylines in our game and provide fans the opportunity to replay and, perhaps, change the outcome - virtually.'

The Coca-Cola Zero Story of the Finals will enable gamers connected online to play real matches from the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final and face the same challenges their heroes experienced throughout the tournament. The free service complements an existing game mode called The Coca-Cola Zero Story of Qualifying which enables gamers to relive moments from the 2010 qualifying campaign and the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ Finals through over 50 scenario-based challenges.

'Just like Coke Zero made the impossible possible by offering real Coke taste with zero calories, the Coca-Cola Zero Story of the Finals empowers people to become part of the game and virtually rewrite sports history,' said Scott Cuppari, Manager, Media and Interactive, Coca-Cola North America. 'Through our partnership with EA SPORTS and their 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa game, we're offering new, innovative videogame content that delivers a rich experience to gamers and soccer enthusiasts.'

The 2010 FIFA World Cup™ will available on the PlayStation[R]3, Xbox 360[R], Wii™, PSP[R] (PlayStation[R] Portable) and iPhone[R] on April 27, 2010 in North America and April 30, 2010 in Europe and Asia. Visit http://www.FIFA-WORLD-CUP.EASPORTS.COM for more information about features. The game is rated 'E' for Everyone by the ESRB and 3+ by PEGI in Europe. Screenshots can be downloaded at http://info.ea.com.

EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogame franchises, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL[R] hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA[R] Football and NCAA Basketball, Fight Night boxing and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR[R] golf.

Keywords: Asia, Basketball, Boxing, China, Computers, Consumer, Electronic Games, Entertainment, Football, Golf, Hockey, Leisure, Men, Playstation, Soccer, Software, Sports, Technology, Teens, Electronic Arts Inc.

Basketball Season, Virtually All Year - The Washington Post

Georgetown jumps to a commanding lead over Maryland early. With9:30 left in the first half, the Hoyas are up 10 points, 26-16. Theirhalf-court press has slowed the Terrapins' fast-break. But the Terpssink key three-pointers to end the half down by four, 41-37.

Second half stays close: Maryland's Juan Dixon, who scored 10points in the first half, takes charge to outscore Georgetown's KevinBraswell 24 to 18 in the second half. With 13:34 left, Maryland tiesG'town 54-54. In a classic Sweet-16 matchup, the two local favoritesbattle down to the wire. A timely steal by Terp point guard SteveBlake proves the difference: Maryland wins, 86-84.

Not the game you saw on television last night? Correct. This onewent down to the buzzer a day earlier. And the venue wasn't Anaheim,it was my living room. The action, the sneaker squeaks on shinyhardwood, the chants from the crowd, the face-pinched concentrationat the free-throw line? All of it virtual. Virtual video game madness-- and not just in March.

The game is NCAA Final Four 2001 -- the first basketball videogame, college or pro, made for Sony's PlayStation 2 system. Settingcontrols so its artificial intelligence (AI) 'coached' both teams, Isat back for two 20-minute halves and watched what reasonably couldhave predicted the flow and outcome of the actual NCAA tournament'sWest Region semifinal contest.

But that's only one of several basketball video games available.Here's a rundown, from one end of the court to the other, college andpro, of virtual hoopdom:

NCAA Final Four 2001 (989 Sports; PS2, $49): It's the wholecollegiate tournament, baby, featuring high-res graphics and motion-captured action (more than 1,100 moves), from smooth power-dunks toskilled passing and shooting, creating solid b-ball simulation for upto eight players.

While its details and graphics are heads and shoulders abovePlayStation 1 (PS1) or PlayStation (PSX) games, the players look odd,like digital marionettes without the strings. Because there are somany teams and players, and the NCAA prohibits use of players'likenesses or names for profit, facial features are approximations.

Looks, however, aren't everything. PS2's 128-bit horsepower fuelsa cool college-game atmosphere -- from the reflections on the shinyparquet to advanced gameplay. Players tend to slide and glide ratherthan show footwork, but NCAA Final Four 2001 provides a crediblestatistical outcome and plenty of fun for gamers.

NCAA March Madness 2001 (EA Sports; PSX/PS1, $39): With more than150 teams, and 150 well-rendered arenas, this is a stickler for PSX-level detail. But don't expect eye-wowing 3-D features like the PS2supports. This frenetically paced game provides more modes than anyother -- from the easier Exhibition to Women's Sweet 16, Coach K,Dynasty and a Dream Tournament that pits the all-time greatest NCAAteams against each other. A bigger problem than vague graphics andchoppy animation are the imbalances in gameplay: A Maryland-Georgetown game chalked up 86 steals and countless blocks! Finalscore, after adjusting game speed down: Maryland beats G'Town, 124-109.

NBA Live 2001 (EA Sports; PS2, $49): For the b-ball purist, thissim features more methodical and strategic gameplay. EA's first PS2pro hoops game is arguably the best basketball video game available.It's akin to Sega's top-notch NBA 2K1, the other best 'next-gen' NBAvideo game, but with Sega scuttling Dreamcast, what's the point? Playthe sim or the arcade style. Four modes and four difficulty levels,plus a cool one-on-one mode that faces off current NBA playersagainst NBA legends.

The gameplay is fun and complicated. The looks are stunning:Arenas are realistic, animation flows, and many players areimmediately recognizable from their facial features and torsos. TheNBA season hasn't looked this realistic at the MCI Center lately.

NBA Shootout 2001 (989 Sports; PS2, $49): To say this game isoffensive doesn't mean it should have a warning label. Dedicated toarcade-style, fast-break basketball, this game favors taking the ballto the bucket. What doesn't get much of a workout is defense and thepassing offense. With more than 50 signature dunks and countlessmoves, the offense runs smoothly -- despite some gameplay and AIflaws. While there are trades, free agents, created players, andcreated dunks, game modes are limited.

Facial features aren't as true-to-life as in NBA Live 2001. Onevisual anomaly is the players' slumped postures as they dribble down-court with heads down. Team-specific playbooks with more than 450 NBAplays doesn't offset the annoying imbalance of too many steals andblocked shots and to few rebounds.

WALTON ARENA ONE OF 'TOUGHEST PLACES' - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., Feb. 12 -- The University of Arkansas issued the following news release:

EA SPORTS will visit the University of Arkansas for the Kentucky basketball game on Feb. 15 to experience the home court atmosphere of Bud Walton Arena in order to develop a new feature in its NCAA Basketball video game called the 'Toughest Places to Play' in college basketball. Over 100,000 fans participated in an online vote, selecting Arkansas along with Clemson, Duke, Syracuse, UCLA, North Carolina, Kansas, Florida, Pittsburgh, Illinois, Louisville, Maryland, Tennessee, Texas, and Xavier as the most difficult courts to play on for opposing teams.

Producers of the NCAA Basketball videogame franchise will visit the home court of many of the final 15 schools to experience each school's home environment on game day in order to capture and replicate the experience in next year's NCAA Basketball game. Arkansas fans can now vote at http://www.easports.com/ncaabasketball/toughvenues.action to create the official 'fans ballot' that will help determine the final ranking of the 15 finalists. The winner will be selected based on fans, venue, history, spirit groups and talent. The winner of the 'Toughest Places to Play' will be announced during this year's Final Four.

Play hoops as your favorite Division 1 college team - Deseret News (Salt Lake City)

Title: NCAA Basketball 09

Platform: PS2, PS3, Xbox 360 (reviewed)

Studio: EA Sports

Rated: E for Everyone

Score: 7.5/10

GAMEPLAY

The review: EA has ported its NBA gameplay to the '09 NCAAbasketball release and claims to have 1,000 new animation sequences.EA says that this allows for a better defensive play and allowsplayers to perform quicker in all aspects of the game. The gamecertainly is more responsive than last year's release, although it'sstill not perfect.

One of the best aspects of the new release is the ability totailor your team's style of play with your own or with the realschool's style. You can set the tempo and decide just how hard youpush your team and the defense up and down the court. It requires aquick decisionmaking on the run if you are pushing it constantly.Also, running an up-tempo style doesn't lend itself to a lot of setplays nor does it always allow you to make quick reactions. Thereare many occasions when a player is in an animated move and cannotreact quickly enough to pass or shoot.

If you are interested in setting up plays you'll be happy to knowthe playbook has had an overhaul. You aren't stuck with the standardplays and it's nice to be able to customize plays. You get on-courtvisualization that helps you to understand the play. One play that Iused over and over was the pick-and-roll. It's highly effective andnot difficult to utilize.

Dynasty mode is still a favorite. You won't be surprised to findout that it hasn't changed much from previous years. One thing youwant to make sure to pay attention to is tempo. And that may changedepending upon the team you are playing against.

Graphics:

NCAA 09 covers a massive range of colleges with all Division Iteams. They've managed to replicate the school arenas, mascots andmore. The graphics are rock solid because it's built upon the NBALive release.

Audio:

The commentary by Erin Andrews, Brad Nessler and Dick Vitale aregreat. Even better is the college atmosphere that comes through atevery arena. The crowds sound alive with chants from all schools.

WRAP-UP

Final word

NCAA Basketball Roundup - Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque)

The scene was surreal: Davidson's Stephen Curry standing off tothe corner with two defenders draped over him while his teammateswere playing in a virtual 4-on-3 power-play, making one wide-open 3-pointer after another.

The nation's leading scorer was held without a point for thefirst time in his stellar career Tuesday night, attempting onlythree shots. Yet Curry's teammates scored almost at will in the No.24 Wildcats'78-48 rout of Loyola, Md.

'I've never been in a situation where I've stood in the cornerfor 25 seconds every time,' Curry said.

The bizarre strategy by Greyhounds coach Jimmy Patsos left theparticipants dumbfounded, the crowd stunned, and plenty of questionsof why Patsos stuck with the plan even after Davidson scored 18straight points in the first half.

'I thought their coach was trying to prove a point and I didn'tappreciate it very much,' Davidson coach Bob McKillop said.

But Patsos was making no apologies for using a triangle-and-2defense - on one player.

'Anybody else ever hold him scoreless?' Patsos said. 'I'm ahistory major. They're going to remember that we held him scorelessor we lost by 30?'

That willingness to apparently accept defeat to shut down thenation's most dynamic scorer was met with criticism Wednesday.

'If the coach thinks that that's what he needed to do to win thegame, then I'm all for it,' said Fran Fraschilla, an ESPN analystand former coach at St. John's. 'But if the object is to try to shutone guy down, knowing that you're not going to have much of a chanceto win, then I think it creates a problem.'

Curry, the darling of last season's NCAA tournament, came inaveraging 35 points a game.

Wednesday's games

(Men)

No. 6 Texas 70, Oregon 57 - At Lahaina, Hawaii: Damion James had21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Longhorns over the Ducks inthe third-place game of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

(Women)

Montana 59, Illinois 57 - Montana's Mandy Morales hit a leaning15-footer with 0.7 seconds left for the win in the opening round ofthe Cancun Caribbean Challenge.

NCAA Basketball; Bulldogs outlast Spartans - Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque)

The rest of college basketball has all season to try and matchthis one.

Adam Morrison set a tournament record with 43 points and No. 8Gonzaga beat No. 12 Michigan State, 109-106, in triple overtimeTuesday night in the semifinals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational inLahaina, Hawaii.

Maurice Ager of Michigan State tied it at 80 at the final buzzerof regulation with his fifth 3-pointer over the final 7:10. The firstovertime ended with Gonzaga having a chance to win, but the Bulldogsmissed three shots in the final 9 seconds.

The second overtime ended with the officials putting 0.9 secondsback on the clock after a Michigan State turnover just before thebuzzer but Gonzaga couldn't take advantage.

Then, finally, Morrison made two free throws with 19 seconds leftin the third overtime to give Gonzaga (3-0) the lead for good at 107-106. Michigan State freshman Goran Suton missed a layup with 4.6seconds left. Derek Raivio made two free throws without time goingoff the clock for a three-point lead.

No. 7 Kentucky 80, No. 13 West Virginia 66 - At Kansas City, Mo.:Patrick Sparks scored 25 points and led an early 20-0 run thatcarried Kentucky past West Virginia in the consolation game of theGuardians Classic.

No. 10 Boston College 92, Buffalo 63 - At Boston: Jared Dudleyscored 20 points to help No. 10 Boston College survive an off-nightby preseason All-America Craig Smith and beat Buffalo.

No. 15 Illinois 93, Texas Southern 59 - At Champaign, Ill.: DeeBrown scored 14 points and James Augustine added 13 to lead Illinois(3-0) to a rout.

Bucknell 74, No. 17 Syracuse 69 - At Syracuse, N.Y.: KevinBettencourt scored 20 points and keyed a late 13-2 run as Bucknellrallied past No. 17 Syracuse.

No. 23 Maryland 98, Chaminade 69 - At Lahaina, Hawaii: ChrisMcCray scored 17 points - nine in a 23-0 run in the second half - tolead Maryland over Chaminade in the consolation round of the EASports Maui Invitational.

No. 25 Washington 90, Idaho 67 - At Seattle: Jamal Williams scored16 points and Brandon Roy 14 to help Washington extend the nation'slongest home-court winning streak in a rout of Idaho.

NCAA Basketball Roundup; Jeter gets 1st victory for UW-M - Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque)

Boo Davis scored 21 points and Adrian Tigert 15 Monday night tolead Wisconsin-Milwaukee to a 93-64 victory over Upper Iowa that gavecoach Rob Jeter his first win as a head coach.

Avery Smith and Joah Tucker added 11 points each for the Panthers(1-1), who won their home opener for the sixth straight season.Jeter, a former University of Wisconsin-Platteville star player andassistant to Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, replaced Bruce Pearl when hewent to Tennessee. It was Milwaukee's 10th straight home victory.

Upper Iowa (1-3), an NCAA Division II team, was led by Eric Ritterwith 14 points. Nick Larson, who had been averaging 17.7 points,scored 10.

The Panthers scored the first six points of the second half on a 3-pointer by Tucker and a three-point play by Davis to lead 65-34. ThePeacocks never got closer than 23 points the rest of the game.

Davis scored 15 points to lead Milwaukee to a 59-34 halftime lead.

The Peacocks led 7-0 after a basket by Adam Winters with 18:38left to play. But Davis came back with a 3-pointer for the Panthers'first points of the game to ignite a 25-9 run that put Milwaukeeahead for good 25-16 with 11:12 remaining. Davis had 10 points in thedecisive scoring spurt, which he ended with a basket.

No. 2 Texas 76, No. 13 West Virginia 75 - At Kansas City, Mo.:LaMarcus Aldridge made a putback with 3.6 seconds left and blocked alast-second shot to lift the Longhorns in the semifinals of theGuardians Classic at Kansas City, Mo.

No. 12 Michigan State 89, Chaminade 67 - At Lahaina, Hawaii:Maurice Ager scored 23 points to lead the Spartans in the first roundof the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

No. 8 Gonzaga 88, No. 23 Maryland 76 - At Lahaina, Hawaii:Preseason All-America Adam Morrison scored 25 points, Derek Raiviohad 24 and J.P. Batista added 21 for Gonzaga (2-0) in the openinground of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

No. 9 Arizona 61, Kansas 49 - At Lahaina, Hawaii: Arizona had aterrible night shooting and blew a 16-point lead yet beat theJayhawks the opening round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

No. 20 Indiana 100, Florida A&M 63 - At Bloomington, Ind.:Marshall Strickland scored 18 of his 20 points in the first half, andRoderick Wilmont added 17 for the Hoosiers.

No. 24 Wake Forest 79, UNC-Asheville 63 - At Winston-Salem, N.C.:Justin Gray paced a balanced offense with 16 points, Trent Stricklandscored 14 and Wake Forest finished third in the 2K Sports CollegeHoop Classic.

EA to Release New NBA Street Game Next Spring - Wireless News

Wireless News
08-12-2006
EA to Release New NBA Street Game Next Spring

WIRELESS NEWS-August 12, 2006-EA to Release New NBA Street Game Next Spring (C)2006 10Meters - http://www.10meters.com

Electronic Arts announced that the newest iteration of NBA Street, the company's streetball videogame franchise, is scheduled for release in spring 2007 under the EA Sports Big brand.
The game is in development in Vancouver, B.C. by EA Canada, the studio that also is home to the NBA Live and NCAA March Madness basketball videogame franchises.

'Since its unveiling in 2001, NBA Street has always raised the bar with innovative gameplay and fresh visuals,' said Wil Mozell, executive producer on the project. 'The power of the Next Generation hardware gives us the horsepower to break new ground for consumers, making it the perfect stage for the next iteration of NBA Street. Casual gamers and sports fans can still expect 'easy to pick-up and difficult to master' gameplay, with progressive visuals and some of the biggest gameplay moments in action sports.'

The fourth chapter in the multi-platinum selling NBA Street series expands on the fast-paced and larger-than-life 3-on-3 basketball franchise. The newest iteration of NBA Street creates a hyper-real world that merges legendary courts with the hometown courts of your favorite NBA stars into one seamless city of streetball moments, the company noted.

The new version of NBA Street will be available for the PlayStation3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@10meters.com))

((Distributed via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com))

(Copyright M2 Communications Ltd. 12, 2006)

Fisher out, low blow saves Bryant - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

BASKETBALL

Fisher out, low blow saves Bryant

Lakers guard Derek Fisher yesterday was suspended for one game bythe NBA for striking Rockets forward Luis Scola with his shoulderand head in Game 2. But Kobe Bryant will be in the lineup fortonight's Game 3 because the elbow he threw at Ron Artest landedbelow the shoulders even though Artest said he got hit in the neck .. . Byron Scott will return next season as coach of the New OrleansHornets, the team said. He has one year and $5.5 million remainingon his contract . . . The Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki offered noexplanation about the arrest of a woman at his home, saying onlythat he is having personal troubles. Asked about his relationshipwith Cristal Taylor, 37, who was arrested on a probation violationand theft of services warrants Wednesday, Nowitzki declined tocomment.

BASEBALL

Diamondbacks dump manager Melvin

The Diamondbacks fired manager Bob Melvin after a disappointingstart by Arizona, which is 8 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in theNational League West. He had one year left on his contract. Hittingcoach Rick Schu also was fired, and pitching coach Bryan Priceresigned. The team is expected to name farm director A.J. Hinch, whohas no prior managerial experience, as Melvin's replacement . . .Former manager Danny Ozark, 85, who led the Phillies to threeconsecutive NL East titles but fell short of the World Series eachtime, died at his Vero Beach, Fla., home . . . Former Oakland firstbaseman Troy Neel pleaded guilty to fleeing the country to avoidmore than $700,000 in unpaid child support, which stacked up whilehe lived on a million-dollar resort on the South Pacific island ofVanuatu bought after his brief major league career.

FOOTBALL

Report: Favre to stay retired

Brett Favre told Vikings coach Brad Childress he will remainretired, a source close to the team told Yahoo Sports yesterday. TheYahoo report said Favre told Childress of his decision by phone andthat he could 'publicly explain his decision soon' . . . MattMillen, the architect of the NFL's first 0-16 team, is joining ESPNas an analyst. He was a commentator at CBS and Fox before takingover the Detroit Lions in 2001 . . . The Miami Dolphins are renamingtheir home Landshark Stadium as part of a partnership with singerJimmy Buffett. Buffett's Margaritaville enterprise includesLandshark Lager.

HOCKEY

NHL says it runs Phoenix franchise

The National Hockey League says it has been in control of thePhoenix Coyotes franchise since November and is asking a federaljudge to throw out the team's bankruptcy filing. NHL deputycommissioner Bill Daly says Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes signeddocuments ceding control of the team. Daly says the documentsspecifically prohibit Moyes from taking the franchise intobankruptcy . . . Pittsburgh police said they've traced an Internetdeath threat made against Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin toa 17-year-old boy. Pennsylvania state police have talked to the boy,but no charges were immediately filed.

AUTO RACING

Suspended NASCAR driver found dead

Nationwide Series driver Kevin Grubb, 31, was found dead in aRichmond area hotel. Henrico County (Va.) police said Grubb wasdiscovered at 11:30 a.m. and an autopsy showed he died of anapparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Grubb wasindefinitely suspended by NASCAR on Sept. 11, 2006, after his secondviolation of its substance abuse policy . . . Formula One driversrebuked FIA president Max Mosley over his comments that the sportcould survive without Ferrari, saying they are worried internalpolitics are damaging the sport. Ferrari has criticized a proposedbudget cap.

Miscellany

Big TV ratings for Kentucky Derby

DIGEST - The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

In the news

UAB eliminates Lady Tigers

The University of Memphis softball team's season ended Thursday,as the Tigers lost to UAB, 11-5, in the play-in game of theConference USA tournament in El Paso, Texas.

The U of M (22-30) committed an all-time program high sevenerrors and left 10 runners on base.

Leigh Rowan had a two-run single for the Tigers, while LeandraHines scored twice.

Ex-QB sues video-game maker

Former Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller is suing EA Sports and theNCAA, saying the video-game maker wrongly uses the names andlikenesses of athletes and the NCAA sanctions the practice.

Keller's lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in SanFrancisco as a class-action, suing on behalf of all college athletesdepicted in the NCAA Football and NCAA Basketball video games madeby EA Sports.

Rob Carey of Phoenix, Keller's attorney, contends EA Sportsprofits from using the names and likenesses of players. The lawsuitwould bar EA Sports from using the names and likenesses and seeksundetermined compensation for athletes who have been portrayed inthe video games.

Keller was Nebraska's starting quarterback in 2007. Hetransferred from Arizona State in 2006.

NCAA bylaws prohibit the use of the names and likenesses ofathletes for commercial purposes. Though names are not visible onplayer jerseys in the video games, the lawsuit contends EA Sports'intentionally circumvents the prohibitions on utilizing student-athletes' names by allowing gamers to upload entire rosters, whichinclude players' names and other information, directly into the gamein a matter of seconds.'

Dolphins digs get name change

The Miami Dolphins are renaming their home Landshark Stadium aspart of a partnership with singer Jimmy Buffett .

The name change from Dolphin Stadium is the fifth since thestadium opened in 1987. Buffett's Margaritaville enterprise includesLandshark Lager, brewed by Anheuser-Busch. Buffett and new Dolphinsowner Stephen Ross are friends.

Southaven MMA card postponed

The mixed martial arts card scheduled for Saturday at SnowdenGrove Amphitheater in Southaven has been postponed until June 19.

Organizers said a predicted threat of rain on Saturday led to thedecision to postpone the card.

COLLEGES

Houston High point guard Sarah Womack has committed to play forRhodes next season. A four-year starter, Womack helped Houston to aRegion 8-AAA crown in 2008 and a 23-10 record this past season.

At USA Stadium in Millington, Cannon Lester hit a home run asSouthern Arkansas (48-9) eliminated Delta State (38-16) from theGulf South baseball tournament with a 9-0 victory. The Muleriderswill take on Valdosta State at 9:30 a.m. today for the title. If VSUwins the first game, a second will follow immediately after.

BASKETBALL

Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger has been invited toparticipate in a USA Basketball training camp this summer. USABasketball spokesman Craig Miller said between 20 and 24 players whohave not participated for the national team in the past willparticipate in the camp, which is expected to take place in lateJuly in Las Vegas.

HOCKEY

Andrew Ladd tipped in teammate Dave Bolland's long shot from lessthan three minutes into overtime to give the host Chicago Blackhawksa 2-1 comeback victory over the Vancouver Canucks, tying the WesternConference semifinal at 2.

TENNIS

Former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt overcame a slow start to beatDutch qualifier Thiemo De Bakker , 6-3, 6-4, and joined fourth-seeded Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals of the BMW Open in Munich,Germany.

Dinara Safina rallied to beat Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez , 4-6,6-3, 6-0, and reach the Italian Open semifinals, while VenusWilliams breezed past Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, 6-1, 6-2.

OBITUARY

Former Phillies manager Danny Ozark , who led Philadelphia tothree consecutive National League East titles but fell short of theWorld Series each time, died Thursday at his home in Vero Beach,Fla. He was 85.

Lalas stares at Galaxy from a distance - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Put yourself in Alexi Lalas' flip flops for a few seconds ofextra time.

The rejuvenated Galaxy's climb into Sunday's Major League Soccertitle game is being explained by kickball experts everywhere as asituation where a group of international all-stars finally learnedhow to play as a team.

David Beckham and Landon Donovan aside, it's a roster a bitdifferent from the one Lalas helped assemble in the years before hewas fired as team president and general manager in August 2008. Butthe star-power blueprint still has his fingerprints on it.

Himself a former Galaxy star who helped the franchise win itsfirst MLS Cup in 2002 and four years later was inducted into theU.S. Soccer Hall of Fame, Lalas attends Sunday's championshipcontest against Real Salt Lake in Seattle not as a team executivewho helped navigate this summit, but in the capacity of studioanalyst for ESPN's coverage.

They are flip-flopped emotions that the Manhattan Beach residentmust feel is as comfortable as shaking sand out of his shorts.

'Look, I could BS you and say I've moved on, but I'm human,'Lalas said Wednesday from Bristol, Conn., where he was doing studiowork on the U.S.-Denmark telecast.

In all honesty, Lalas' honesty is also what makes him a vibrantelement of any ABC/ESPN soccer event.

'We went through a lot of craziness, and I made some mistakes,but all that was uncharted territory,' Lalas admits. 'I'm proudhaving gone through it even if it didn't always work out.

'People on the outside have their opinions of what happened, butno one really knows what went on there. We were really trying tofigure it out as we went along. And only now they've come out on theother side.

'My personal situation aside, it's a real team now. That'ssomething that was missing for a number of years. It's unfortunate,but in a strange way, they had to go through the process.

'It's too bad I'm associated with the negative part of thatprocess, but all that matters to me, as a Galaxy alum, is that thefans get a good team and this one rivals some of the best in theirhistory.'

Lalas was suited up in suit and tie at Home Depot Center on thatstrange day back in January 2007, when Beckham arrived to a surrealmedia celebration that came with a $250 million-plus financialpackage attached to it. But as egos clashed and victories didn'tmaterialize, Lalas and coach Ruud Gullit were shipped out late lastseason when the team hit a seven-game losing streak, pointed towardanother failed playoff appearance after having been there 10consecutive years.

Lalas landed in a place where he'd always been welcome - the TVside. This weekend, he says it would be disingenuous if he didn'timpart what he learned about this franchise when giving his insightsto viewers about how this MLS Cup could shake out.

'When you talk about the changes the team made a couple of yearsago before it got here, that's important because ultimately, thatbrought about this success,' he said. 'Maybe it's unfair about howall that was portrayed in the media, but I'm a big boy and in mycurrent capacity, I have to make sure I'm fair to the Galaxy and theteams they're playing.

'I also know I can bring knowledge that others can't. I know boththe good and bad impact that Beckham had, and what impact thechanges had. The team wasn't on the right course. Now they are.'

Of course, there's a sense of pride in Lalas watching Sunday'sgame, even from a media seat. He's still preaching the gospel ofsoccer to a nation more in tune with it, a year before the nextWorld Cup erupts. If it made you catch a glimpse of Beckham placinga free kick with a trademark bend to help set up one of the mostimportant goals scored in team history - in overtime during theWestern Conference title game last Friday against Houston thatresulted in this MLS Cup trip - Lalas will work the drive-thru TVwindow.

Maybe if Lalas had been flawless as a Galaxy GM, he wouldn't beable to be on the talking end of Sunday's telecast.

'All this enables me to stay in the game and talk about the sportI love, working and building a brand every day,' said Lalas, whoeven made an appearance on Comedy Central's 'Colbert Report' to talksoccer a couple of months ago.

'Back when I played, a lot of us felt we were part of ageneration of pioneers, introducing the sport to Americans. Now it'sbeen a little easier to get the message out.'

Video game has everything, except 'One Shining Moment'

How many times do you wish you could turn on a sporting event andactually choose which broadcast crew came along with it?

It's virtually possible now, thanks to EA Sports' new 'NCAABasketball 10' video game.

On the video console, users can pick either ESPN's Brad Nessler,Dick Vitale and Erin Andrews to do the faux broadcast, or CBS' GusJohnson and Bill Raftery. It even goes as far as letting us pickwhich network theme music brings the game on and takes it out.

Just like in real TV land, the default setting for the seasonmode has ESPN guys on the midweek games and CBS on the weekends,plus the NCAA Tournament.

'We really tried to maintain that authenticity and true-to-lifefeel, which frankly aided in getting the licensing done,' EA Sportsproducer Connor Dougan told the Sports Business Journal.

'We're out there competing for dollars with a lot of othertitles, including ones of our own like 'Madden' and 'FIFA,' andother entertainment, so we have to give consumers something thatdifferentiates ourselves.'

There is one thing taking some of the shine off this, good orbad: CBS' 'One Shining Moment' isn't made available after the videogame's national title contest. That would cost more in licensingfees.

In Hagens Berman Video Game Case, Court says NCAA, Electronic Arts Must Answer Charges. - Electronics Newsweekly

Recent developments surfaced this week in a class-action lawsuit filed by Hagens Berman against Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) and NCAA. U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken denied a motion to dismiss the case. The class action, on behalf of current and former college athletes, will move forward April 2010.

The decision forces video game maker, EA, along with NCAA, to now prove they did not use the likenesses of actual college athletes in NCAA-branded video games, said lead attorney Rob Carey with Hagens Berman. 'EA tried to hide under the First Amendment but the court recognized similarities between real athletes and the game were just too great to be ignored.'

EA did not at this juncture dispute claims made by plaintiff Samuel Keller, former quarterback for Arizona State University. Instead, the company unsuccessfully sought a defense under the First Amendment. Judge Wilken rejected the gaming company's argument along with NCAA's, citing that allegations made by Mr. Keller have merit.

EA reported revenue of $1.24 billion during the third quarter ending Dec. 31, 2009 this week. The gaming company also confirmed its decision to discontinue the development of NCAA Basketball video games, telling Game Informer magazine, 'we're currently reviewing the future of our NCAA Basketball business.'

For more information about the class-action lawsuit against NCAA and EA, visit http://hbsslaw.com/ncaavideogames. About Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro is a nationally recognized class-action and complex-litigation law firm based in Seattle with offices in San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and Phoenix. Among recent successes, HBSS negotiated a $300 million settlement in the DRAM memory antitrust litigation, the largest antitrust settlement in U.S. history, recovered $340 million on behalf of Enron employees, and was part of the leadership team in the $3 billion Visa/MasterCard settlement. In pharmaceutical litigation, the firm's recent successes include a $350 million settlement with McKesson, more than $200 million with other parties in drug-pricing litigation, and a $150 million settlement regarding Lupron. HBSS represented Washington and 12 other states against the tobacco industry that resulted in the largest settlement in history. For a complete listing of HBSS cases, visit www.hbsslaw.com.

Keywords: Basketball, Consumer Electronics, Electronic Games, Electronics, Entertainment, Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, Legal, Professional Services, Sports, Technology, Video Game.

EA Sports Offers New Downloadable Videogame for March Madness - Wireless News

Wireless News
03-06-2009
EA Sports Offers New Downloadable Videogame for March Madness
Type: News

Electronic Arts (EA) announced EA Sports will for the first time offer a downloadable official NCAA Tournament edition of its college basketball videogame.

Fans will be able to replicate the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship bracket and play with all the schools in NCAA March Madness. Called NCAA Basketball 09: March Madness Edition and available exclusively for the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system for 1200 Microsoft points, it will be available to download just in time for the start of the NCAA tournament. The 2009 Tournament tips-off exclusively on CBS Sports on March 19th.
NCAA Basketball 09: March Madness Edition will be download exclusively for the Xbox 360 through Xbox Live Marketplace for 1200 Microsoft points beginning March 11. The game will initially feature teams from last year s tournament, and then beginning on March 18, will feature the just-announced official Selection Sunday brackets and accurate teams with updated ratings.

NCAA Basketball 09: March Madness Edition will re-create all the atmosphere and intensity of NCAA March Madness by enabling fans to authentically replicate the entire NCAA Tournament and play through the virtual bracket with their favorite team under the same conditions they'll face throughout March Madness. Take on the challenge of leading any of the 65 schools competing on the road to the Final Four, from the opening round right through to a virtual reproduction of the Final Four on the authentic Ford Field court in Detroit, where one team will be crowned NCAA Division I Men s Basketball National Champion on April 6.

'We really wanted to make our game available to a wider selection of fans that are drawn to college basketball by the passion, excitement and drama that surrounds March Madness,' said Connor Dougan, Producer for NCAA Basketball 09: March Madness Edition. 'Fans will be able to experience the tournament, feel the adrenaline rush that comes with a single loss elimination tournament and write their own history.'

'Few sporting events capture the excitement and intensity of March Madness, so it s great to be able to offer everyone a chance to play with NCAA Basketball 09: March Madness Edition, an exclusive to Xbox Live and Xbox 360,' said Marc Whitten, General Manager of Xbox Live. 'Xbox Live continues to break new ground, offering new ways to play and enjoy your favorite games and entertainment. With EA we are offering everyone a chance to experience a blockbuster game tailored specifically for March Madness in a way that has never been done before.'

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

Copyright 2009 Close-Up Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Lalas stares at Galaxy from a distance.(Sports) - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Byline: TOM HOFFARTH, MEDIA

Put yourself in Alexi Lalas' flip flops for a few seconds of extra time.

The rejuvenated Galaxy's climb into Sunday's Major League Soccer title game is being explained by kickball experts everywhere as a situation where a group of international all-stars finally learned how to play as a team.

David Beckham and Landon Donovan aside, it's a roster a bit different from the one Lalas helped assemble in the years before he was fired as team president and general manager in August 2008. But the star-power blueprint still has his fingerprints on it.

Himself a former Galaxy star who helped the franchise win its first MLS Cup in 2002 and four years later was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame, Lalas attends Sunday's championship contest against Real Salt Lake in Seattle not as a team executive who helped navigate this summit, but in the capacity of studio analyst for ESPN's coverage.

They are flip-flopped emotions that the Manhattan Beach resident must feel is as comfortable as shaking sand out of his shorts.

'Look, I could BS you and say I've moved on, but I'm human,' Lalas said Wednesday from Bristol, Conn., where he was doing studio work on the U.S.-Denmark telecast.

In all honesty, Lalas' honesty is also what makes him a vibrant element of any ABC/ESPN soccer event.

'We went through a lot of craziness, and I made some mistakes, but all that was uncharted territory,' Lalas admits. 'I'm proud having gone through it even if it didn't always work out.

'People on the outside have their opinions of what happened, but no one really knows what went on there. We were really trying to figure it out as we went along. And only now they've come out on the other side.

'My personal situation aside, it's a real team now. That's something that was missing for a number of years. It's unfortunate, but in a strange way, they had to go through the process.

'It's too bad I'm associated with the negative part of that process, but all that matters to me, as a Galaxy alum, is that the fans get a good team and this one rivals some of the best in their history.'

Lalas was suited up in suit and tie at Home Depot Center on that strange day back in January 2007, when Beckham arrived to a surreal media celebration that came with a $250 million-plus financial package attached to it. But as egos clashed and victories didn't materialize, Lalas and coach Ruud Gullit were shipped out late last season when the team hit a seven-game losing streak, pointed toward another failed playoff appearance after having been there 10 consecutive years.

Lalas landed in a place where he'd always been welcome - the TV side. This weekend, he says it would be disingenuous if he didn't impart what he learned about this franchise when giving his insights to viewers about how this MLS Cup could shake out.

'When you talk about the changes the team made a couple of years ago before it got here, that's important because ultimately, that brought about this success,' he said. 'Maybe it's unfair about how all that was portrayed in the media, but I'm a big boy and in my current capacity, I have to make sure I'm fair to the Galaxy and the teams they're playing.

'I also know I can bring knowledge that others can't. I know both the good and bad impact that Beckham had, and what impact the changes had. The team wasn't on the right course. Now they are.'

Of course, there's a sense of pride in Lalas watching Sunday's game, even from a media seat. He's still preaching the gospel of soccer to a nation more in tune with it, a year before the next World Cup erupts. If it made you catch a glimpse of Beckham placing a free kick with a trademark bend to help set up one of the most important goals scored in team history - in overtime during the Western Conference title game last Friday against Houston that resulted in this MLS Cup trip - Lalas will work the drive-thru TV window.

Maybe if Lalas had been flawless as a Galaxy GM, he wouldn't be able to be on the talking end of Sunday's telecast.

'All this enables me to stay in the game and talk about the sport I love, working and building a brand every day,' said Lalas, who even made an appearance on Comedy Central's 'Colbert Report' to talk soccer a couple of months ago.

'Back when I played, a lot of us felt we were part of a generation of pioneers, introducing the sport to Americans. Now it's been a little easier to get the message out.'

Video game has everything, except 'One Shining Moment'

How many times do you wish you could turn on a sporting event and actually choose which broadcast crew came along with it?

It's virtually possible now, thanks to EA Sports' new 'NCAA Basketball 10' video game.

On the video console, users can pick either ESPN's Brad Nessler, Dick Vitale and Erin Andrews to do the faux broadcast, or CBS' Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery. It even goes as far as letting us pick which network theme music brings the game on and takes it out.

Just like in real TV land, the default setting for the season mode has ESPN guys on the midweek games and CBS on the weekends, plus the NCAA Tournament.

'We really tried to maintain that authenticity and true-to-life feel, which frankly aided in getting the licensing done,' EA Sports producer Connor Dougan told the Sports Business Journal.

'We're out there competing for dollars with a lot of other titles, including ones of our own like 'Madden' and 'FIFA,' and other entertainment, so we have to give consumers something that differentiates ourselves.'

There is one thing taking some of the shine off this, good or bad: CBS' 'One Shining Moment' isn't made available after the video game's national title contest. That would cost more in licensing fees.

EA Releases Bracket, New Content for NCAA March Madness Game - Wireless News

Wireless News
03-20-2008
EA Releases Bracket, New Content for NCAA March Madness Game

WIRELESS NEWS-March 20, 2008-EA Releases Bracket, New Content for NCAA March Madness Game (C)2008 10Meters - http://www.10meters.com

Electronic Arts (EA), an interactive entertainment software company, announced that the authentic 65-team NCAA Tournament bracket and additional new in-game content is available to download for its popular basketball videogame that is available in stores now, NCAA March Madness 08.
This new content has been developed exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and is available now on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 400 Microsoft Points.

EA Sports has created a Selection Sunday Bracket Pack that will feature a downloadable 65-team NCAA Tournament bracket, allowing Xbox 360 users to update NCAA March Madness 08 with the just- announced official Selection Sunday brackets, accurate seedings, and updated team ratings. Fans can authentically replicate the entire NCAA Tournament and play through the 'virtual bracket' with their favorite team under the same conditions they'll face throughout March Madness. EA Sports has also created more than 25 alternate/ third uniforms for a number of the top teams in the tournament, which will be playable in the bracket download. In addition, the Selection Sunday Bracket Pack will include the authentic Final Four court from the Alamodome in San Antonio, where one team will be crowned NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Champion on April 7.

In the new ratings developed for the NCAA March Madness 08 Selection Sunday Bracket Pack, the four No. 1 seeded teams in the tournament are the University of North Carolina, the University of Memphis, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Kansas, as determined by the NCAA selection committee. However, according to a computerized simulation using the new team ratings and seedings, EA Sports predicts the Final Four teams will be the University of Tennessee and Kansas in one semifinal and Memphis against UCLA in the other semifinal.

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

((Distributed via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com))

(Copyright M2 Communications Ltd. 2008)

Judge dismisses EA from NCAA antitrust lawsuit - AP Online

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed video game maker Electronic Arts Inc. from a high-profile antitrust lawsuit challenging the NCAA's long-standing prohibition against paying student athletes for their performance.

But U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken on Monday refused to drop the bulk of the case, which accuses the NCAA and its marketing company of operating an illegal sports marketing monopoly. Led by former UCLA basketball standout Ed O'Bannon, former athletes allege they are forced to forever sign away their commercial rights to play collegiate sports.

The judge refused to dismiss the NCAA and Collegiate Licensing Co. from the lawsuit that seeks to become a class action representing thousands of former football and basketball players who say the NCAA illegally controls their images forever without compensation.

The NCAA responds that players are free to make commercial deals after they leave college. NCAA policy prohibits players from receiving compensation while they are playing.

The judge said there is enough evidence to continue the litigation. But she said Monday that there was no evidence that Redwood City-based EA conspired with the NCAA to deny the players compensation and she dismissed the company from the lawsuit.

The O'Bannon case and another led by former Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller are being closely watched because of their potential to dramatically reshape the commercial relationship between the NCAA and its athletes. Keller's lawsuit also alleges that the NCAA is unfairly depriving athletes of their share of revenues generated by their performances. But Keller's lawsuit makes different legal arguments, claiming the NCAA is violating the players' commercial rights when it refuses to cut them in on marketing deals using their images. The Keller lawsuit also names EA as a defendant.

EA Sports Extends Title Sponsorship of Maui Invitational - Wireless News

Wireless News
04-08-2008
EA Sports Extends Title Sponsorship of Maui Invitational

WIRELESS NEWS-April 8, 2008-EA Sports Extends Title Sponsorship of Maui Invitational (C)2008 10Meters - http://www.10meters.com

KemperSports announced that EA Sports, a label of Electronic Arts, has agreed to a two-year extension as title sponsor of the EA Sports Maui Invitational, an early-season men's college basketball tournament.
The pact will extend the partnership between EA Sports and the Maui Invitational through 2009.

EA Sports has been the title sponsor since 2001. Its overall commitment has been instrumental to the tournament's growth, as the firm has hosted a separate video game tournament, offered internships to students of tournament host Chaminade, expanded charities in the local community, and underwritten additional team expenses.

'We have been fortunate over the past several years to have the support of EA as our dedicated title sponsor,' said Tournament Chairman Dave Gavitt of KemperSports. 'Like its videogames, EA Sports is committed to bringing great sports experiences to life, and with its support the Maui Invitational will continue its tradition of creating the type of exciting college basketball games that have made this tournament such a great event.'

The tournament has also served as a launch pad for the EA Sports videogame, NCAA March Madness game. The title sponsorship has enabled EA Sports, an interactive sports software brand, to tap into new levels of brand awareness, product promotion and immersion into real-world sports events via a rich portfolio of sponsorship activities and involvement.

'At EA Sports, we partner with marquee sporting events like the EA Sports Maui Invitational -- the best early-season college basketball tournament and a hallmark of college athletics,' said Brian Movalson, director of sports marketing for EA Sports. 'This tournament puts our brand center court while also providing opportunities to interface with the participating teams, coaches and numerous organizations that are central to our promotion and growth.'

EA Sports has been the only title sponsor in the tournament's 24- year history.

The 2008 EA Sports Maui Invitational Hosted by Chaminade University, will mark the tournament's 25th year of launching the college basketball season. This year's NCAA Tournament participants North Carolina, Texas, Notre Dame, Indiana, Oregon and St. Joseph's, along with Alabama and host Chaminade, will vie for the coveted early-season crown Nov. 24-26 at Maui's Lahaina Civic Center. The ESPN networks will again offer live television coverage of all 12 tournament games.

Other tournament sponsors include the Maui Visitors Bureau, County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation, Hawaii Tourism Authority, adidas, GEICO and Gatorade. The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Sheraton Maui Resort and Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, all located in the beautiful Ka'anapali Beach resort area, serve as host hotels for the thousands of fans and boosters who annually accompany their teams to Maui. KemperSports has operated the EA Sports Maui Invitational since 1990.

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

((Distributed via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com))

(Copyright M2 Communications Ltd. 2008)

Former Student Athletes' Right Of Publicity And Antitrust Claims Will Proceed Against The NCAA And Electronic Arts.(National Collegiate Athletic Association) - Mondaq Business Briefing

Previously published in Sports Litigation Alert

Closely watched class action lawsuits by former student athletes against the National Collegiate Athletic Association ('NCAA'), its licensing arm, the Collegiate Licensing Company ('CLC'), and the popular video game maker, Electronic Arts, Inc. ('EA') will proceed following a May 2, 2011 decision by Judge Claudia Wilken of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. See In re NCAA Student-Athlete Name & Likeness Licensing Litigation, Case No. 4:09-cv-01967- CW (N.D. Cal. May 2, 2001) (the 'May 2 Order').

In the consolidated class actions, former college student athletes seek compensation based on right of publicity and the antitrust laws for licensing revenues generated from the NCAA's licensing deals (through CLC) with EA, which produces the popular NCAA Football, NCAA Basketball and NCAA March Madness video games. Former Arizona State and Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller and former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon filed the initial lawsuits. Additional former student athletes have since joined as plaintiffs, and the cases have been consolidated under the case name In re NCAA Student-Athlete Name & Likeness Licensing Litigation.

While the specific legal causes of action that plaintiffs will be permitted to pursue against the NCAA, CLC, and/or EA have yet to be finally determined, in the May 2 Order Judge Wilken ruled that the claims by groups of 'Publicity Plaintiffs' and 'Antitrust Plaintiffs' will proceed against one or more of those defendants. The Publicity Plaintiffs assert claims based on alleged violations of their statutory and common law rights of publicity and the Antitrust Plaintiffs assert claims based on an alleged conspiracy to restrain trade in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act.

The Publicity Plaintiffs

The Publicity Plaintiffs allege that EA misappropriated their images and likenesses in its video games, and assert seven causes of action, including breach of contract and civil conspiracy claims against EA, NCAA, and/or CLC. Specifically, the Publicity Plaintiffs allege that, despite prohibitions on the use of student names and likenesses in NCAA bylaws, contracts, and licensing agreements, EA utilizes the likenesses of individual student-athletes in its college sports-themed video games. The video games at issue do not explicitly identify any individual athlete by name, but the virtual players in the games share the same jersey numbers, physical characteristics, and home state as their real-life counterparts. In addition, EA allegedly permits gamers to upload team rosters directly into the games that include players' names and other identifying information. Publicity Plaintiffs allege that the NCAA and CLC have permitted these violations to continue in order to increase the popularity of the games and royalties that the NCAA and CLC can collect.

The NCAA previously sought to dismiss these claims, arguing that it did not 'use' players' names and likenesses because they only licensed team logos, uniforms, mascots and school stadiums, which belong to the schools in question, not any individual student-athlete. EA also sought to dismiss and filed a motion to strike the complaint under California's statute concerning strategic lawsuits against public participation (anti -SLAPP) asserting 'transformative use' and 'public interest' defenses under the First Amendment and the California Constitution.

On February 8, 2010, the court denied defendants' motions. Keller v. Elec. Arts, Inc., No. 09-1967 CW, 2010 WL 530108 (N.D. Cal. Feb. 8, 2010). The court rejected EA's 'transformative use' arguments because it held that the video games' 'setting is identical to where the public found [Keller] during his collegiate career' and rejected the 'public interest defense' because the NCAA sports games 'provide[] more than just the players' names and statistics; it offers a depiction of the student athletes' physical characteristics.' The Publicity Plaintiffs' claims against EA have been stayed pending a decision on EA's appeal of the denial of its anti-SLAPP motion.

Prior to consolidation, the court had dismissed the Publicity Plaintiffs' breach of contract claim against the NCAA. However, in the May 2 Order, the court denied the NCAA's motion to dismiss that claim. The court held that, based on Publicity Plaintiffs' amended allegations, it was 'reasonable to infer that Publicity Plaintiffs understood that they granted a limited license to NCAA to use their names and likenesses to promote NCAA events and that the license did not permit the use of their names and likenesses for other purposes.' May 2 Order at 15. Thus, the Publicity Plaintiffs pleaded a contract sufficient to withstand the motion to dismiss.

The Antitrust Plaintiffs

The Antitrust Plaintiffs also assert claims by student athletes concerning their right to profit from the use of their images and likenesses, but are based on alleged violations of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. s. 1. The Antitrust Plaintiffs allege that the antitrust laws were violated based on an agreement to artificially fix the price that student athletes received for the use of their names, images, and likenesses, at zero dollars. The Antitrust Plaintiffs also allege that the defendants conspired to engage in a group boycott/refusal to deal. As the court explained, the ''purported conspiracy involves Defendants' concerted action to require all current student-athletes to sign forms each year that purport to require each of them to relinquish all rights in perpetuity for use of their images, likenesses and/or names' and to deny compensation 'through restrictions in the NCAA Bylaws.'' May 2 Order at 11.

The Antitrust Plaintiffs intend to move to certify an 'Antitrust and Declaratory Injunctive Relief Class' and an 'Antitrust Damages Class.' The Antitrust Injunctive Relief Class includes current student-athletes and seeks to permanently enjoin the NCAA and its members from utilizing any student athlete requirements which purport to deprive former student athletes of licensing and/or compensation rights, and from selling, licensing, or using former student-athletes' rights. The Antitrust Damages Class does not include current student-athletes.

Previously, in O'Bannon v. National Collegiate Athletic Ass'n, No. 09-1967 CW, 2010 WL 445190 (N.D. Cal. Feb. 8, 2010), the court held that O'Bannon sufficiently alleged an agreement in restraint of trade between the NCAA and its members related to licensing images of former student-athletes in the collegiate licensing market, and therefore stated a claim under Section 1 of the Sherman Act. EA was named for the first time as an antitrust defendant in Plaintiffs' Consolidated Amended Complaint. However, the court held that the Consolidated Amended Complaint 'does not contain any allegations to suggest that EA agreed to participate in this conspiracy.' May 2 Order at 11. Therefore, the court granted EA's motion to dismiss the federal and California state law antitrust claims against EA.

The court provided plaintiffs leave to file an amended complaint to remedy the deficiencies in their antitrust allegations against EA and, on May 16, 2011, plaintiffs filed their Second Amended Class Action Complaint. EA will likely file a motion to dismiss the Second Amended Class Action Complaint, but, at a minimum, the antitrust claims against the NCAA and CLC will proceed into discovery.

Conclusion

The debate over whether student athletes should be compensated for the revenues that they help to generate has long been the subject of emotional debates, which are not likely to be resolved anytime soon. Nonetheless, the stakes in the NCAA Student-Athlete Name & Likeness Licensing Litigation are high. If the student athlete plaintiffs are successful, the NCAA, as well as its member conferences and universities, could face significant liability, and the NCAA would need to substantially change the way in which it approaches its licensing efforts and student-athlete relationships. The resolution of the licensing and First Amendment issues also has the potential to cause significant repercussions across the entertainment industry, including the motion picture industry, as courts grapple with determining the breadth of First Amendment protection in an age of realistic computer generated depictions that could easily be mistaken for the real thing.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

Mr Daniel Brown

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton

333 Hope Street, 48th Floor

Los Angeles

California

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E-mail: mbennett@sheppardmullin.com

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EA Offers NCAA March Madness 07 Downloadable Game Content - Wireless News

Wireless News
03-14-2007
EA Offers NCAA March Madness 07 Downloadable Game Content

WIRELESS NEWS-March 14, 2007-EA Offers NCAA March Madness 07 Downloadable Game Content (C)2007 10Meters - http:// www.10meters.com

Electronic Arts announced that new in-game content is available to download for its basketball videogame that is available in stores now -- NCAA March Madness 07.
The new content has been developed exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace now.

For the first time ever, EA has created a Selection Sunday Bracket Pack that will feature a downloadable 65-team NCAA Tournament bracket, allowing Xbox 360 users to update NCAA March Madness 07 with the just-announced official Selection Sunday brackets, accurate seedings and updated team ratings. Fans can authentically replicate the entire NCAA Tournament and play through the 'virtual bracket' with their favorite team under the same conditions they'll face throughout March Madness. In addition, the Selection Sunday Bracket Pack will include the authentic Final Four court from the Georgia Dome, where one team will be crowned NCAA Division I men's basketball national champion on April 2.

In the new ratings developed for the NCAA March Madness 07 Selection Sunday Bracket Pack, the four No. 1 seeded teams in the tournament are defending champion University of Florida, University of North Carolina, University of Kansas, and The Ohio State University, as determined by the NCAA selection committee. However, according to a computerized simulation using the new team ratings and seedings, EA Sports predicts the Final Four teams will be the University of Florida and Pittsburgh University in one semifinal and the University of North Carolina against Texas A&M University in the other semifinal.

EA noted that users can go to marchmadness07.com to view more info about the Selection Sunday Bracket Pack that is available now on Xbox Live Marketplace, see the results of the EA Sports NCAA Tournament simulation, and download a printable bracket to track all the tournament action.

NCAA March Madness 07 was developed at EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C. The game is rated 'E' (Everyone) by the ESRB.

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@10meters.com))

((Distributed via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com))

(Copyright M2 Communications Ltd. 14, 2007)

EA Sets July Release for NCAA Football - Wireless News

Wireless News
03-25-2009
EA Sets July Release for NCAA Football
Type: News

Electronic Arts announced that NCAA Football 10 will be available in North American retail stores on Tuesday, July 14.

As the highest-selling college football video game franchise for over a decade, according to company officials, EA SPORTS NCAA Football brings a college game day experience to football fans across the nation.
Each week leading up to the launch of NCAA Football 10, the newly unveiled ncaafootball10.com will host the latest features, videos, screenshots, blogs and news. In addition, the website will countdown the announcement of the NCAA Football 10 cover athletes. A different player will be featured on the packaging of each platform, giving fans plenty of opportunity to speculate whether their favorite athlete will grace one of the covers this season.

In a release, the company noted that true to the tradition of the franchise, NCAA Football 10 continues to push the bar on innovation with new online modes. NCAA Football 10 brings the excitement of college football to fans across the nation like never before with its newest feature, Season Showdown. In this new mode, every game counts as fans declare their loyalty to a favorite school and give the ultimate show of support in a nationwide competition. All college football fans will have an opportunity to participate in Season Showdown, as credits not only accumulate in-game but players can also earn credits for their school via new web-based games.

The company added that NCAA Football 10 envelopes the excitement and pageantry of college football at its best. Enhanced stadiums filled with school colors, cheerleaders and mascots bring the college atmosphere to life. With all 120 Football Bowl Subdivision schools represented in the game, NCAA Football 10 offers fans an exciting way to experience the thrill of authentic college football year-round.

EA SPORTS is an interactive sports software brand, with top- selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR and NASCAR racing.

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

Copyright 2009 Close-Up Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

EA's NCAA Football 10 to Kick Off in July. - Health & Beauty Close-Up

Electronic Arts announced that NCAA Football 10 will be available in North American retail stores on Tuesday, July 14.

As the highest-selling college football video game franchise for over a decade, according to company officials, EA SPORTS NCAA Football brings a college game day experience to football fans across the nation.

Each week leading up to the launch of NCAA Football 10, the newly unveiled ncaafootball10.com will host the latest features, videos, screenshots, blogs and news. In addition, the website will countdown the announcement of the NCAA Football 10 cover athletes. A different player will be featured on the packaging of each platform, giving fans plenty of opportunity to speculate whether their favorite athlete will grace one of the covers this season.

In a release, the company noted that true to the tradition of the franchise, NCAA Football 10 continues to push the bar on innovation with new online modes. NCAA Football 10 brings the excitement of college football to fans across the nation like never before with its newest feature, Season Showdown. In this new mode, every game counts as fans declare their loyalty to a favorite school and give the ultimate show of support in a nationwide competition. All college football fans will have an opportunity to participate in Season Showdown, as credits not only accumulate in-game but players can also earn credits for their school via new web-based games.

The company added that NCAA Football 10 envelopes the excitement and pageantry of college football at its best. Enhanced stadiums filled with school colors, cheerleaders and mascots bring the college atmosphere to life. With all 120 Football Bowl Subdivision schools represented in the game, NCAA Football 10 offers fans an exciting way to experience the thrill of authentic college football year-round.

EA SPORTS is an interactive sports software brand, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR and NASCAR racing.