College fight song in video game spurs lawsuit
A Reno, Nev., music composer has sued game publisher Electronic Arts for using one of his works in video games without his permission.
The song, “Win With the Rebels,”“Win With the Rebels,” serves as the fight song for the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, and it turns up in several EA titles including various versions of “NCAA Baseball,” “NCAA Basketball,” NCAA Football” and “NCAA March Madness.”
Gerald Willis has held the copyright to the song since 1990, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper. His lawsuit does not name the university, which has license to use the song.
Willis filed suit late last month, asking for $150,000 for each copyright violation. The lawsuit counts at least 10 of those — one for each version of the game.
EA has not offered comment.
