Kalen DeBoer & Co’s $99,875 Payout Triggers Fans to Rip Apart Iowa & Auburn
In a groundbreaking move, the NCAA and five major conferences recently reached an agreement allowing schools to directly compensate athletes and participate in revenue sharing. This historic decision impacts all 134 Division I college football programs, ensuring they receive a portion of revenue from the upcoming EA Sports College Football 25 video game, set to be released in July. Prominently, Alabama, Ohio State, and Clemson secured 10 points each, categorizing them into the prestigious Tier 1 of college football programs.
![EA Sports Faces Backlash: Fans Outraged Over Iowa and Auburn's Unexpected Tier Rankings](https://wrestlingnews365.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/8-17.jpg)
Under the leadership of former head coach Nick Saban, Alabama’s football program achieved extraordinary success, winning three national championships and securing spots in the College Football Playoff three additional times, consistently ranking in the top five except for 2019 when they fell to No. 13. This remarkable track record solidified their place in Tier 1. However, the tier placements of other programs have stirred significant controversy among college football enthusiasts.
Alabama Earns Tier 1 in EA Sports’ College Football 25
Reports updated on May 26 revealed that head coach Kalen DeBoer and his team were paid $99,875 to feature in EA Sports’ upcoming College Football 25 (CF25) game. The payouts, determined by a tier system reflecting AP Top 25 finishes over the past decade, sparked debates and discontent among fans.
The tier system allocated payments as follows: Tier 1 schools received $99,875, Tier 2 schools were awarded $59,925.09, Tier 3 schools received $39,950.06, and Tier 4 schools were given $9,987.52. The complete tier list, provided by cllct.com, detailed the distribution of teams from the ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, and Pac 12 across the four tiers.
Controversial Tier Placements Ignite Fan Outrage
The inclusion of the Iowa Hawkeyes in Tier 1 and the Auburn Tigers in Tier 2 ignited a firestorm of criticism on social media. Fans took to Twitter to voice their outrage over what they perceived as unjustified placements. An Alabama fan account, @BamaWaldo, encapsulated the sentiment with a tweet declaring, “Iowa is straight up robbing EA.” This sentiment was widely echoed, with numerous fans expressing their disbelief and dissatisfaction.
Iowa is straight up robbing EA https://t.co/Vpo5HIppZs
— Matthew Carden (@BamaWaldo) May 24, 2024
Iowa in tier one https://t.co/VeKoPAUjA3 pic.twitter.com/rpTEJ8DCT7
— 🅱️🅰️Ⓜ️ (@_bigbam_) May 24, 2024
Fans Unleash Fury Over Iowa and Auburn’s Tier Placements
They should be in tier 4 ngl
— 𝕄𝕆ℕ𝕋ℝ𝔼𝕃𝕃✞⚫️🟡 (@Trell2turntt_) May 24, 2024
Auburn should be lower https://t.co/jAE18OL0SF
— زيلر (@Zyler___) May 24, 2024
The backlash continued with comments like “Tier 2 is too high for Auburn” and “Auburn should be in Tier 4.” One fan dismissed the tier list as unrealistic, stating, “This is crazy lmao calling Iowa a Tier 1 football school is mad.” The perceived misalignment between historical performance and EA’s tier rankings was a common theme, with fans labeling the placement of Iowa, Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, and Utah in Tier 1 as “fake” and “unjustified.”
Oklahoma St
Notre Dame
Utah
Iowa
Tier 1? This shit fake already. https://t.co/N4w0wcsOYi
— . (@texasinmysprite) May 25, 2024
The Tier System: A Point of Contention
The tier system’s reliance on performance metrics, devoid of consideration for conference affiliations, placed Alabama, Ohio State, and Clemson in Tier 1. Schools are set to receive additional payments based on the game’s commercial success, including a 10 percent royalty on sales. However, ambiguity remains regarding whether this royalty is based on net or gross sales, adding another layer to the controversy.