When Collecting and Gaming Collide
The release of the wildly-anticipated EA Sports College Football 25 on July 19 is another landmark moment in the landscape and marketplace of college sports. Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Alston vs. NCAA stated that the organization cannot limit education-related benefits to athletes, no aspect of college sports has gone untouched. From recruiting to player movement and compensation to NIL (name/image/likeness) licensing college athletics’ the entire infrastructure and economics have radically evolved. The creation and delivery of the first college football video game since 2014 is the latest example of the continued growth of the modern-day market being built around college sports.
The sense of anticipation and buzz is not entirely dissimilar from that experienced in The Hobby, as college sports trading cards have undergone big changes in the last few years. A key first step was Bowman’s 2021-22 University Football Set. But, as laid out in this article from 2023, while the set was a game-changer, the lack of full licensing was a hindrance. However, in short order, The Hobby was being built back. “By the time 2023 Bowman University Chrome Football came out, it was clear that this could be a release that hobbyists would gravitate toward year after year. It took a while to get there, but college football now has its flagship product,” wrote Paul Hickey in January of this year.
In so many aspects of the marketplace, college sports and its consumption are being built anew. From video games, sports betting, merchandising, and trading cards, it’s precisely the combination of “Nostalgia and the New” that presents unprecedented opportunities for fans and collectors alike. In the college football arena, whether it’s the restart of a beloved video game franchise or the looming expansion of the end-of-season playoffs to determine a national champion, interest in the sport both on and off the field should continue to grow. With NIL rules facilitating a more sophisticated level of branding for individual athletes, name recognition should increase, creating a more solid foundation for many athletes to gain in popularity and enhance their longevity on the national stage. These elements should all lead to more eyeballs on college sports, and more viral successes like the release of EA Sports College Football 25. All of this will undoubtedly enhance The Hobby’s relevance and long-term solidity in college sports.
