Featured photo by Brett Walker
Story by Brett Walker
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MURFREESBORO, Tenn- In the fall of 2012, a then 10-year-old Nick Vattiato came home from school to do what every 10-year-old kid does after school; kickback, relax and play some video games.
At that time, the Florida kid’s game of choice was the recently released “NCAA Football 13,” featuring Heisman Trophy winners Robert Griffin III and Barry Sanders on the cover. Unbeknownst to Vattiato, he could be featured in the popular video game 12 years later, as the starting quarterback of Middle Tennessee State University.
“It’s super special,” Vattiato said of his inclusion in the game. “Growing up you always wanted to see yourself in “Madden” one day, and now the fact that they’re coming out with EA College Football, to see yourself in that is super cool.”
On July 19, EA Sports is set to release the next iteration of their college football game titled, “EA Sports College Football 25”. Under normal circumstances this would be no special occasion. Sports video games remain a mainstay in the gaming industry year after year, with popular franchises like “Madden” and “NBA 2K” receiving yearly releases for decades now. With EA’s college football franchise however, that hasn’t been the case.
The NCAA prohibited student athletes from profiting from their name, image and likeness (NIL), thus EA Sports created a video game with generic players replacing them. For instance, Vattiato’s replacement would be Quarterback No. 11.
Despite this, many athletes felt the video game company used their likenesses anyway, creating in-game characters similar to their real-life counterparts. Due to these conflicts EA Sports ceased production of the game following “NCAA Football 14”, much to the dismay of fans. While EA Sports was willing to pay the players, the NCAA was not.
Fast forward 11 years to the ever-changing landscape of college athletics. With NIL deals reigning supreme the door opened for the return of the video game, this time with the student athletes included.
MTSU, along with the other 133 FBS teams are set to be in the game at launch. From the SEC to Conference USA, everyone can be in the game. Players opted in using the COMPASS NIL App and will receive $600.00 and a free copy of the game at launch, Vattiato said. The opportunity to be included is an exciting one for Vattiato.
“Everything they’re (EA Sports) doing in terms of putting actual players in the game, I think it’s super cool, and it’ll be a really fun experience for everyone,” Vattiato said.
As the game’s release draws near, excitement is ramping up for longtime fans of the series, and college football fans everywhere. Many players are awaiting the reveal of their specific rating in the game, with many giving themselves more than generous overalls before the game’s release. Vattiato however, is taking a more grounded approach.
“I think if I’m being realistic with myself, if I’m over 70 overall, I’ll be okay with that, and then you know have a good season and we’ll see what happens,” Vattiato said.
The Blue Raiders kick off their season August 31 against Tennessee Tech under the new regime of Derek Mason, and while the redshirt junior is clearly focused on real football, he is still more than excited to be in the game.
Brett Walker is the sports editor for MTSU Sidelines. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com. Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @mtsusidelines, or on X @MTSUSidelines. Also, sign up for our weekly newsletter here.
