2K gave OJ $50K for football game

by Alexander Sliwinski { Sep 13th 2007 at 9:40AM }

TheStreet reports that 2K's parent company Take-Two paid OJ Simpson $50,000 for the rights to his likeness in All-Pro Football 2K8. Simpson was paid $25,000 last January when he signed the contract and the rest a month after the game came out in July. TheStreet obtained the contract between Take-Two and Simpson's representation Justin Communications. The contract also states that if the deal was renewed for two years that Simpson would receive $50,000 up front. However, all that money will probably go to the Goldman family, as Simpson was ordered to do early last month with this year's cash. In essence Take-Two is helping pay down Simpson's multi-million dollar wrongful death tab.

$50,000 for OJ Simpson's likeness? Well, guess we'll have to wait and hear if 2K Sports makes All-Pro Football 2K9 to see if that cash was worth it. Considering there were a number of old-school football stars in the game, that's a lot of money going toward some gimmicky name-dropping. Wouldn't spending that money on marketing and advertising have been a more fruitful venture? Ohhhh, the game is called "All-Pro" so they had to put former Pro athletes in there? Let's see if they announce APF2K9 or end up going back to the drawing board. Someone has to make decent Madden competition in the marketplace.

[Via GamePolitics]

Tags: allprofootball, apf, ojsimpson, simpson

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

jason w @ Sep 13th 2007 9:54AM

What the hell was wrong with all pro. I love that game. I mean if you are 14 you may not know who these people are but I am 30 and to me these are the best of the best.
The game plays well. If you cant enjoy a game because it doesnt have the name of your favorite team or the name of a pussy who will not even fly in an airplane on the cover then there is something wrong with you.

DarthDavid @ Sep 13th 2007 9:56AM

Love that picture....never gets old. Just look at his face, he's like.."....wait a sec, why are my gloves not fitting me?"

Almack64 @ Sep 13th 2007 10:06AM

He's like "Oh Noes, see clearly they don't fit...really."

Sean @ Sep 13th 2007 12:42PM

OJ has special hand-shrinking powers.

T3H WICKERMAN @ Sep 13th 2007 1:55PM

oh im supposed to put them all the way on my hands?!

Buckshot @ Sep 13th 2007 9:56AM

If the glove does not fit, you must acquit

TRUTH @ Sep 13th 2007 9:57AM

You have to be kidding...

What's wrong with this world we live?

jimy @ Sep 13th 2007 11:02AM

It is ridiculous.

jron @ Sep 13th 2007 11:39AM

did you read the article?

an LA court had ordered him to turn over any royalties and licensing fees to the estate of Ron Goldman.

shamgar @ Sep 13th 2007 9:57AM

Doesn't Take 2 also own the rights to Manhunt...

shamgar @ Sep 13th 2007 9:57AM

Doesn't Take 2 also own the rights to Manhunt...just saying.

Phranctoast @ Sep 13th 2007 10:25AM

so thats the real reason Manhunt 2 got an AO rating.

Jerk Face @ Sep 13th 2007 10:44AM

Ha ha... that is comedy gold! Good work!

upz @ Sep 13th 2007 10:08AM

The NFL licensing fee they used to pay was likely much more than paying off a bunch of has-beens.

That said, throwing a touchdown pass from Warren Moon to Mike Ditka is pretty damn awesome.

Mabui @ Sep 13th 2007 10:09AM

Sad how the very first thing I thought after reading this was "OJ Simpson unlockable in Manhunt confirmed"

samfish @ Sep 13th 2007 10:24AM

This is Chewbacca...

Neon Jebus @ Sep 13th 2007 10:26AM

"See these gloves don't fit, they are too tight for me."

Yeah well a new baseball glove is tight too until you break it in. Leather isn't very pliable when you first buy it...

As for 2K as much as I really want to be upset they paid his sorry ass a single penny, he was found NOT GUILTY by a jury. Perhaps 2K paid Robert Blake some cash to be an unlockable character in Manhunt 2.

TRUTH @ Sep 13th 2007 10:29AM

Well it's all about the $$$

Everyone knows he's Guilty!

Boss Tempo @ Sep 13th 2007 10:50AM

Check out the game's website: www. slash, slash, backslash, escape.

HaleysComet @ Sep 13th 2007 10:57AM

Good for OJ.

Regardless of what YOU THINK he was found innocent. And he deserves to make money in whatever way he chooses to do so...so long as its not illegal.

Really quit bitching. Don't buy the game then if you're so upset over this.

Knight Marquise @ Sep 13th 2007 11:25AM

That's funny, becauase regardless of what you think, he was found guilty of wrongful death, and all that money he makes legally goes to the Goldman family. Which, of course, I support, thusly support the game. :)

duerra @ Sep 13th 2007 11:51AM

No, he was not found innocent. He was found NOT GUILTY. There's a big difference. Really, there is.

HaleysComet @ Sep 13th 2007 12:24PM

Uh really there isn't.

But hey its not that serious to me. Its just hilarious and annoying that all of you are still obsessed with this one man who SUPPOSEDLY killed 2 people...

Meanwhile the president whos responsible for the deaths of millions of Iraqis as well as thousands of US soldiers lives is still smiling at the ranch in Crawford and collecting a huge salary for his incompetence and stupidity.

d-pad @ Sep 13th 2007 1:56PM

Yes, let's bring George Bush into a debate about O.J's innocence. I'm sure that will make your point even more convincing.

Idiot.

T3H WICKERMAN @ Sep 13th 2007 2:04PM

hayles c- "President Bush currently earns $400,000 per year, along with a $50,000 expense account, a $100,000 nontaxable travel account, and $19,000 for entertainment" give the guy a break this is chicken scratch salary! He isnt making shit, compared to what he used to make and what he will afterwards. I feel bad for this poor rich yankee boy. He is losing money being in office! Have you no heart sir? but seriously get used to the fact that most americans just dont have their priorities straight. (this is a game sight not a political one.) sad but true.

Ranko @ Sep 13th 2007 11:33AM

Next we'll be hearing that Nintendo wants Michael Vick's likeness for the next installment of Nintendogs.

jron @ Sep 13th 2007 11:41AM

you've won my morning

duerra @ Sep 13th 2007 11:53AM

This is a message so that, for the first time in the history of me using an internet browser, I can save my password for use on the Joystiq website without having to type it in myself, memorize it, or check my email every time I want to submit a message.

Joystiq, when are you going to fix that, already???

Paul P. @ Sep 13th 2007 11:59AM

50k actually seems pretty damn low. Do you have any idea what the standards of licensing fees are?

typoink @ Sep 13th 2007 12:16PM

Alternate route for 2K to take next year:

Get a contract going with a major comic book publisher to develop a comic following the on and off field drama surrounding the players in the fictional, near-future Football league. Come up with a few hooks to make the story interesting (near-future super-steroids causing havoc? Corrupt officials? Falling TV ratings putting the future of the league in danger?).

Let the comic run for a year or so. Put money behind it. Try to make a hit. Work hard to establish personalities and identities for the teams.

Then announce a tie-in game that will blend quality 2K football action with the series.

It's the only way I can imagine any company making a football game that can succeed without an NFL license -- it's not just about player names. People care about teams, and that's where All-Pro doesn't have anything to offer. Sure, you can make your little fantasy roster, but random uniforms in random stadiums just isn't going to appeal to people.

Ken Seang @ Sep 13th 2007 12:19PM

I would of said hell no and took him off the game....

And yea you guys should put a caption in that pic.

Sean @ Sep 13th 2007 12:43PM

It doesn't make any sense!

T3H WICKERMAN @ Sep 13th 2007 2:06PM

michael vick presents nintendogs diamond edition! raise ur pups 2 b killers and battle online w/ Accomplices i mean friends and use ur stylus to bash the ones that dont make the cut! WIIII!!!!

harrison_schaerr @ Sep 13th 2007 5:35PM

lawl... oj simpson, the first black man to plead innocent to a crime and actually be deemed innocent.

poor black people and those racist white bigots...

only if you have money =)

nojok3 @ Sep 13th 2007 5:00PM

I'm a big Bills fan but OJ really did do it. The entire case was never handled properly (from a forensics point of view). The blood drops found at the murder scene should have been incriminating enough for OJ, considering there is no doubt it was his and Nicole's blood.