Players cleared to opt in to EA Sports college football game

May 17 (UPI) -- Players are cleared to opt in for portrayal of their name, image and likeness in the upcoming EA Sports college football game -- and to profit from inclusion -- for the first time, EA Sports told UPI on Wednesday.

The company announced in 2021 that it would reboot the popular college football video game series.

EA Sports contracted OneTeam Partners to help coordinate the injection of name, image and likeness for eligible Division I Football Bowl Subdivision players into the game.

OneTeam Partners maintains partnerships with the players' unions for several professional sports leagues, including the NFLPA and MLSPA.

"We've wanted to feature collegiate athletes in a meaningful way from the start of our journey to bring an EA Sports college football experience back to our fans," EA Sports said in a statement.

"We're excited to have an agreement in place with OneTeam Partners that will enable us to include the names and likenesses of eligible collegiate football athletes at NCAA Division 1 Football Subdivision schools who opt-in to being featured in EA Sports College Football."

The EA Sports college football series was discontinued in 2013 after a federal judge ruled that the NCAA violated U.S. antirust law by preventing college athletes from being compensated for usage of their name, image and likeness.

EA Sports did not say how much players would be paid for participating in the game. More than 16,500 players competed in Division I FBS in 2021-22.

ESPN reported that those who opt out of participation will be represented by generic avatars in the game, like in previous versions on the digitalized playing platforms.

EA Sports is expected to release the college football game in 2024.