EA Obtains Exclusive NFL Licensing Rights

Grub writes "EA has signed a 5-year agreement with the NFL that gives them exclusive rights to use NFL players, teams, and stadiums in their products. CEO Larry Probst, 'The five-year agreement will usher NFL fans through the console technology transition with new ideas and innovative game play experiences.' This is a crushing blow to competitors and an enormous victory for EA, who will undoubtably make sure everyone knows that only they have NFL players and teams come next year's football game advertising bonanza."

Comments

Lovely.

[Spleener12]

As if EA wasn't enough of an evil, soul-sucking monstrosity.

Well, football fans, I hope you liked Madden 2005, because you're going to get that same game shoved down your throats with updated rosters for the next five years.

EA needs to die.

Re:Lovely.

[nolife]

The squeeky wheel no longer gets oiled, it gets replaced.

Ahhh. . . innovation

[TimmyDee]

"The five-year agreement will usher NFL fans through the console technology transition with new ideas and innovative game play experiences."

Because monopolies (this is a monopoly of sorts) always lead to innovation.

Re:Ahhh. . . innovation

[nomadic]

Oh who cares, when was the last time you played a truly innovative sports game? By their very nature they can't go beyond the rules of the game they're based on.

Re:Ahhh. . . innovation

[Brian_Ellenberger]

Oh who cares, when was the last time you played a truly innovative sports game? By their very nature they can't go beyond the rules of the game they're based on.

Ah, but if you know anything about football you would know it is a very deep and complex game. Football reminds me of a chess game with real people where each side can choose their opening positions every play. It really is a facinating mixture of head knowledge and physical ability and requires years to fully appreciate.

And football games are getting more and more realistic every year. And not just in graphics. There is every bit or more strategy in a game like Madden 2005 as any Real Time Strategy game---with surprising less "twitching". Don't let the fact that it is a "sports game" fool you into thinking its a dumb mindless fast-twich fest. There is alot more to the game than picking a 4-3 in running situations and a Dime in passing ones.
You can't win without using your brain.

Brian Ellenberger

College?

[Anonymous Coward]

I predict a huge upswing in the popularity of NCAA-based games. Or maybe arena league ;)

Competition goes bye bye

[rinks]

I'm sure this has nothing to do with Sega's almost superior (and 30 dollars cheaper) ESPN football debuting this year... I see someone's posted that since Madden's the best game anyway, it doesn't matter. Well, it does matter, since being the only game in town doesn't exactly provide incentive to improve- or do anything but offer gamers the same thing every year with barely cosmetic changes.

why blast EA?... go after then NFL..

[Moustache N Tits]

you know.. so far there are about 30 (level 1+) comments and I don't see anyone bad mouthing the NFL for this. I can't say I blame EA for going after this agreement. It's in their best interest and will give them a huge edge come next season. Who wants to play an NFL football game where you can't be Michael Vick and the rest of the Atlanta Falcons (or whoever). But what about the NFL for even LETTING this agreement happen?! If you are going to blast EA for going after a monopoly why not blast the NFL for supporting it?! I'd think it would be in their best interest to let more companies get licenses. How many people out there own both NFL 2k5 and Madden 2005?! I know my friend does... I know many people who did. So the NFL got double license fees from one customer. That's GOOD for the NFL. Also, what about all those people who are anti-Madden, either out of principle (for EA's employer practices) or because they just don't like the gameplay as much as NFL 2k5 (or others) like myself. I own 2k5 because I don't like Madden.. the graphics aren't as good, the gameplay is weak. If this deal had been in place last year the NFL wouldn't have gotten ANY of my money, whereas this year they got some from me purchasing NFL 2k5. This just seems like a bad choice for the NFL. It's a shame too because I get some serious football feaver in Aug and Sept and now next year I'll be back playing my old 2k5. Next year the NFL won't be getting any of my money from licensing deals.

Re:why blast EA?... go after then NFL..

[josh3736]

Because the NFL is a business concerned only with making money. They don't give a rat's ass about console gamers. "Hey look, EA wants to give us millions of dollars to make a game they'd make anyway!" You can probably imagine the party the accounting department had.

Who gives a shit if they gave exclusive rights to the inferior product? The NFL made out like a bandit on the deal. NFL 7, gamers 0.

Double-take

[nobodyman]

I read this PR twice, convinced that I had read this wrong or that it was some kind of a hoax, thinking "can this mean what I think it means?".

This is bad. So very bad. If this is true (see above), this will essentially kill the football franchises of Sony/989 Studios, Sega, and Midway. It doesn't matter how good a game is -- without the license to use the official teams and players, you are toast.

The immediate effect of this will be price. When Sega slashed it's sports line to $20, EA followed suit by dropping it's sports titles to $30. Think that will happen when EA has no competition? Quality will be the next to go -- what will be EA's motivation to innovate? When SCEA first released NFL Gameday for the Playstation, EA cancelled it's Madden because of its inferrior quality. They came back the next year with a much-improved offering. Without compeition, what will stop EA from shoveling out complete garbage? There wasn't a lot of year-on-year innovation in the first place, but now I'll be surprised if they do little more update the team rosters.

Oh, and doesn't easpouse's husband work for EA Tiburon? I guess that situation isn't going to improve. "Where else are you going to work? Sega? Bwah hah hah hah!". Guess I better figure out how the BCS works... damn you EA!!!

Re:Madden 64...

[kfg]

And any number of racing sims eschew any sort of official license and have "the blue car" and "the red car."

I honestly don't understand all the branding crap, even in sports sims. All I care about is if the game is worth a crap.

Make the damned thing "skinable" and the community will make the silly graphics and such in short order, if it's worth playing in the first place.

KFG

An alegory of rape

[Scrameustache]

I've never known a worker who got taken advantage of who didn't consent to it, either by their silence or their signiture.

Hey, she was asking for it!

As for the hours, that's the games industry; love it or get out.

Neat, so they only are taken advantage of because they agreed to, and if they don't: get out.
Super, just... super.

before you blame EA

[Alban]

If Sega/ESPN had been offered the same deal, do you think they would have hesitated even one second?