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EA Obtains Exclusive NFL Licensing Rights

Posted by timothy on from the theory-of-lucrativity dept.

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."

12 of 597 comments (clear)

  1. Damn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I thought if there was one site I could escape sports talk, it would be Slashdot. Now I get to read endless posts about football being soccer, etc.

    1. Re:Damn by iocat · · Score: 5, Interesting
      It get's worse: Have you seen Sportsdot?

      Anyway this is more a videogame monopoly story than a strict sports story...

      --

      Dude, I think I can see my house from here.

  2. Lovely. by Spleener12 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    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.

    1. Re:Lovely. by Necrobruiser · · Score: 5, Interesting

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

      Can we save some time and just repost all of the "M$ is Evil" posts from the last 5 years and just replace Microsoft with EA in each? It really doesn't take much to bring out the knee-jerk reactions here on /. does it?

      --
      "I planned within my means and got a fixed rate mortgage, so where's MY bailout?" -cafepress
    2. Re:Lovely. by MEGAMAID · · Score: 5, Informative

      you're going to get that same game shoved down your throats

      Not quite, how is selling a video game shoving it down people's throats? You do realise you don't HAVE to buy it right?
      Anyways, the same type of people who buy this re-hashed crap are the same type of people I don't care much for when they are ripped off.

      --

      Waking Up - There must be a better way to start the day.
  3. Ahhh. . . innovation by TimmyDee · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "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.

    --
    Per Square Mile, a blog about density
  4. Competition goes bye bye by rinks · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.

    --
    My good looks paid for that pool, and my talent filled it with water.
  5. Perfect by Kizzle · · Score: 5, Funny

    This would be a perfect time for the XFL to come back! Yaaay!!

    --
    Hacker Media
  6. Re:Madden 64... by D'Arque+Bishop · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I wonder if Sega (NFL2k) or Midway(NFLBlitz!) will be able to pull the same

    It wouldn't be the first time Midway pulled off a football game without an NFL license. Back in 1990 or thereabouts (I forget the exact year), they released an arcade game called High Impact Football which used nonexistent teams. Apparently it did well enough to rate a sequel called Super High Impact Football. (Now, if they'd just include either in Midway Arcade Treasures 3...)

    Just my $.02...

  7. Solution for competitors by schnitzi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Competitors should design their products to accept any properly formatted database file of players and stats.

    This would allow you to enter in your child's own Pop Warner teams to play against each other.

    Of course, there's always a chance that some naughty person might start spreading around a database listing all the real NFL players.

    That would certainly be tragic. But it's a risk we might have to take.

    --



    I object to that article, and to the next reply.
  8. why blast EA?... go after then NFL.. by Moustache+N+Tits · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.

    --
    Grease & Counterbalance
  9. Translation Follows by superultra · · Score: 5, Funny

    Translation from EASpeak (TM):

    "Hi. Sega? Remember that $19.99 price undercut? Yeah. F*** you."