--- title: EA SPORTS and OneTeam Partners NIL Opt-In | 6th Hashtag Sports Awards description: Global awards recognizing excellence in fan engagement and celebrating creativity across sports marketing, media & entertainment image: https://www.hashtagsports.com/hubfs/awards/shortlist-2024/ea-sports-cfb-25.webp --- EA SPORTS and OneTeam Partners NIL Opt-In | 6th Hashtag Sports Awards # EA SPORTS and OneTeam Partners NIL Opt-In Program for EA SPORTS College Football 25 [EA SPORTS](https://www.ea.com/sports), [ OneTeam Partners](https://www.joinoneteam.com/), [ CLC/Learfield](https://clc.com/) The 6th Annual Awards Nominee ✨ - Best College Sports Partnership Share [** ](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/ea-sports-college-football-25#) [** ](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/ea-sports-college-football-25#) [** ](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/ea-sports-college-football-25#) ABOUT THIS ENTRY EA Sports and OneTeam Partners have transformed athlete representation in video games by securing the participation of over 11,000 college football players across 134 FBS universities for the upcoming release of EA SPORTS College Football 25 game through an innovative athlete name, image, and likeness (NIL) opt-in program. This collaboration creates the largest single-sport athlete licensing program in the world and guarantees authentic representation of college athletes, enhancing the gaming experience with unmatched realism and immersion. This initiative, facilitated through CLC’s innovative COMPASS NIL app, allows eligible NCAA Division I FBS athletes to transparently opt in to the opportunity for their names, images, and likenesses to be accurately represented in the game, and be compensated for their participation. This collaboration is reshaping how college football players engage with digital platforms and setting a precedent for similar endeavors in other sports gaming titles and licensed product initiatives. ![Image](https://www.hashtagsports.com/hs-fs/hubfs/awards/shortlist-2024/ea-sports-cfb-25.webp?width=1920&height=1080&name=ea-sports-cfb-25.webp) How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”? The EA SPORTS and OneTeam NIL opt-in program represents a significant shift in how athletes are portrayed in video games. By facilitating the seamless participation of over 16,000 athletes across different sports and leveraging cutting-edge technology, OneTeam has laid down a scalable foundation with the potential to revolutionize athlete representation in all sports video games. This approach not only enhances the gaming experience for players but also sets a precedent for future innovations in sports and gaming. While OneTeam facilitates the participation of these athletes and leverages the COMPASS NIL app, it is EA SPORTS that will integrate them into the EA SPORTS College Football 25 game. The successful engagement of such a large number of athletes, alongside the unprecedented anticipation for its summer release, signifies a transformative moment in the industry, prompting further exploration of the cultural and commercial implications of including real-life college athletes in digital gaming. Objective This initiative strives to integrate college athletes into EA SPORTS College Football 25, a video game making its return after a decade, ensuring athletes directly benefit from the use of their name, image, and likeness. A collaboration between OneTeam Partners, EA SPORTS, and leading licensing agency CLC, it utilizes CLC’s COMPASS NIL platform for a transparent athlete opt-in process. This approach creates the largest single-sport athlete licensing agreement ever, setting a new benchmark for athlete involvement in sports gaming. OneTeam’s work to secure agreements with a broad spectrum of players from various college football programs ensures wide-ranging and inclusive representation. The EA SPORTS College Football 25 partnership underscores OneTeam’s longtime dedication to the commercial interests of thousands of athletes across sports, including college and pro players. The goal leading up was to involve and compensate as many college football players as possible across all positions, from the starting lineup to the bench players and walk-ons. Strategy & Execution With modern sports fans craving authentic and immersive experiences, the opt-in program for EA SPORTS College Football 25 was designed to meet these expectations. EA SPORTS and OneTeam a leveraged CLC’s COMPASS NIL app to facilitate the inclusion of over 11,000 college athletes, to date, ensuring a game that mirrors the real-world diversity and dynamics of college football. This initiative not only amplifies the game’s realism but also strengthens fans’ emotional and cultural connections to college sports. The transparent opt-in process and direct compensation for athletes reflect a forward-thinking approach, catering to the demand for opportunity and authenticity in the evolving world of college athletics. Scheduled for release in Summer 2024, this game represents a substantial leap in sports gaming, where the seamless, approved integration of real college athletes enhances engagement and sets a new standard for the industry. **Organizations** - EA SPORTS - OneTeam Partners - CLC/Learfield **Links** - [  EA SPORTS College Football 25](https://www.ea.com/games/ea-sports-college-football/college-football-25) **Featured** - 11K+ eligible college football players across 134 FBS universities **Credits** **[Aaron Solender](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronsolender/)** Director, College Strategy & Operations OneTeam Partners **[Sami Robbins](https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantharobbins/)** College NIL Coordinator OneTeam Partners **[Sean Sansiveri](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-c-sansiveri-70084ab/)** CEO OneTeam Partners **[Frank Arthofer](https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankarthofer/)** President OneTeam Partners **[Devin Radford](https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinradford/)** SVP Games & Interactive OneTeam Partners **[Shelbi Hendricks](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelbi-hendricks-407364a7/)** SVP, Strategy, Growth & Operations OneTeam Partners **[Michael Distaso](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-distaso/)** Director, Digital Games Partnerships OneTeam Partners **[Maria D'Amico](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-damico/)** Manager, Business Operations OneTeam Partners **[Sean O'Brien](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-o-brien-b747781/)** Licensing and Strategic Partnerships at EA SPORTS EA Sports **[Josh Gregory](https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-gregory-80abb239/)** Sr. Manager - Business Development, EA Sports EA Sports **[Mischa Smolkin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mischasmolkin/)** Senior Manager, Talent Strategy & Partnerships EA Sports **[Laura Hoag](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraormson/)** Sr Brand Manager EA Sports **[Will Alexander II](https://www.linkedin.com/in/walexander2/)** Senior Manager, EA SPORTS Communications EA Sports **[Cory Moss](https://www.learfield.com/leadership/cory-moss/)** President, Brand Management & Marketing CLC/Learfield **[Wesley Richard](https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleyrichard/)** SVP, Innovations & Operations CLC **[Dave Kirkpatrick](https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-kirkpatrick-581b641/)** SVP, Brand Development CLC **[Sterling Hawkins](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sterlinghawkins1/)** SVP & General Counsel CLC/Learfield **[Tammy Purves](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-purves-9938496/)** VP, Communications CLC/Learfield **[Makayla Burtz](https://www.linkedin.com/in/makayla-burtz/)** Director of Operations CLC **[Anand Gohil](https://www.linkedin.com/in/agohil1/)** Manager, Client Success CLC **[Andrea Geiger](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreageiger26/)** Client Success Representative CLC **[Chloe Anderson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-anderson-726589130/)** Client Success Representative CLC #### Celebrate in NYC Join us for the 6th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 6, 2024 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.   [![RESERVE SEATS](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/834568/c79439a7-e53f-4aa9-9d60-2b68caf80d89.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/834568/c79439a7-e53f-4aa9-9d60-2b68caf80d89)