Buzzkill Mike Florio Demands Players Hold Out From New College Football Video Game

Mike Florio seems intent on destroying the new college football video game before it even hits shelves.

The highly-anticipated "College Football 25" from EA Sports is expected to hit shelves at some point in July, and fans around the country couldn't be more excited. For the first time in more than a decade, gamers will be able to fire up their consoles and chase national titles.

It's going to be a glorious summer. It was also reported Thursday that players will be paid $600 in NIL money and receive a free copy of the game in order to opt in. One of the biggest selling points of the new game is there will no longer be fictional players and rosters that must be downloaded.

Thanks to NIL, athletes can be paid for their name, image and likeness to be used. It's going to be awesome….unless you're Mike Florio.

Mike Florio encourages college players to hold out from new video game.

Unlike millions of amped up college football fans, Florio is trying to pour cold water all over the $600 and free game offer athletes reportedly are receiving. He is openly encouraging them to hold out for more cash.

"Really, what’s $600? EA is banking on players viewing it as free money, without realizing how badly EA needs enough of them to accept the payment for the game to be viable. EA has already announced that the game is coming. It will be very hard to pull the plug now. Kids, they need you much more than you need them. And your rights are worth much more than $600 each. EA has a market capitalization, as of this month, of more than $37 billion. It has budgeted a mere $6.6 million to gobble up the bulk of the player NIL rights," Florio wrote, in part, Thursday.

He continued, "We stand with the CFBPA. Tell EA No F—kin’ Way. Spread the word. Hold together. They hope to divide and conquer by getting enough of you to take the cash (and the free game!) without thinking twice. If enough of you stop and think and eventually come together, you’ll get something far closer to what you deserve."

Mike Florio suggested players shouldn't participate in the new college football video game. (Credit: Getty Images)

Mike Florio is dead wrong.

Why, Florio? Why must you make every single thing so complicated and just kill the mood? Fans have been waiting for more than a decade for this game, and Mike Florio is out here cheering for athletes to not participate. It's not surprising at all, but that doesn't make it any less annoying.

Here's the reality of the situation. People are going to buy this game no matter what. You think serious college football fans are going to pass on it because maybe a star QB opts out? No chance. "College Football 25" is going to fly off the shelves once it's released.

Furthermore, what metric is Mike Florio using to determine $600 isn't enough to appear in the game? Does the number undervalue top QBs and some other stars? Sure, but it absolutely doesn't across the board.

A new college football video game will arrive this summer. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Is a third string offensive tackle at Tulsa really demanding more NIL money than $600 for his name to be used in a video game? I don't think so.

Florio also makes the argument that because the game is coming out no matter what, EA Sports might be motivated to bend the knee.

I'd make the exact opposite argument. "College Football 25" is a bullet-train at this point. There's no stopping it, and for that reason, there's no incentive for EA Sports to bend the knee. Either get a ticket to the party or get out of the way. That's undoubtedly the mindset the company has, and it's justified.

Players are free to do what they want, but Florio should stop trying to be a buzzkill. It's just cringe. Let me know if you agree at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.