American Needle Won! NFL Exclusive Deals May Be A Thing Of The Past

[Exonerated]

America Needle has not won yet. It's been sent back down to the lower courts. THe supreme court deals with matters of law. The lower courts deal with matters of facts.

Also, the legal process takes ages. From 2 to 6 to 12 months.

The other companies can start making football games only if or when the NFL's exclusive license is torn up.

I think the case with American Needle has little effect on the video gaming exclusive license though.

[thats my unprofessional analysis of the OP's blurb -- I should read the case now lol]

[coogrfan]

I'm stunned, as is I imagine the NFL's legal team.

[kjcheezhead]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mbalmer

Are there any lawyers here in the OS world that can shed some educated light on the subject? There has to be at least one, right? I don't know how long the legal process takes and when, if this ruling makes it so, that other companies can start making NFL games. It would be cool if EA, 2K, Backbreaker, and even Sony and Microsoft could start making football games. I hope someone with a legal background can come in here and let us know what all this means and what kind of time frame we are dealing with. I know the lower courts have to look at their ruling.

I don't think anyone can answer that even for apparel, much less video games. For one thing, this ruling just eliminates exclusive deals. I'm sure NFL teams can still tell Midway or 2k they don't want to allow them to use their license because they don't like how their games would represent them.

[ncaa07jones]

Quote: Originally Posted by Chiefsfan881129

Anyone who gets excited over this news really should not be happy at this time as this is not good at all i dont care what people think about compentation right now yes it will make games better i will give u that but its not good at all i wish american needle would just drop the lawsuit the reason i am aginest this is not because i dont want compentation its because i simply cant afford 2 football games at there current price range and i am a big time football fan so for the short term future with the budgit i am on having this case won by american needle is not good for gamers likeme who are on budgits the exclusive must stay on till the ecomany is fixed anyway cya guys later

Then buy one...
You can't complain becase you can't afford to purchase the competitors game. Do you play baseball games? Fighting games? Third person shooters? Or do you only purchase games who have no competition?

Not a shot at you, just I honestly don't see your point. Madden has been able to water down the experience of football virtually because there is no competition IMO.

[DoubleDeuce]

I'm going to read it at lunch. But as someone else said, the lower court has to go back and rule on it again in light of the Supreme Court's interpretation of the SHerman Act. That court will probably be pissed at getting overturned 9-nil, as is the NFL. The NFL will double down and throw even more lawyers at the problem. You won't see anything happen with this generation of hardware.

[Buckeyes_Doc]

Quote: Originally Posted by Chiefsfan881129

Anyone who gets excited over this news really should not be happy at this time as this is not good at all i dont care what people think about compentation right now yes it will make games better i will give u that but its not good at all i wish american needle would just drop the lawsuit the reason i am aginest this is not because i dont want compentation its because i simply cant afford 2 football games at there current price range and i am a big time football fan so for the short term future with the budgit i am on having this case won by american needle is not good for gamers likeme who are on budgits the exclusive must stay on till the ecomany is fixed anyway cya guys later

LOL.

So everyone should wait until you have a bigger budget?

Or you could just buy 1 game, and actually have a choice which game to buy. You can also download demo's, rent, etc to help with this huge decision.

[Exonerated]

Ok i just read this again. This has nothing to do with madden.
It's concerning merchandising brande apparel.

Also, American Needle has not one. Just need to put that out there.

This anti-trust repeal is kinda dodgy. As one person on ESPN mentioned, the NFL is like Mcdonalds. Mcdonalds licenses out its equipment, food and such to certain companies. So does the NFL. There are hundreds of Mcdonalds . There are many NFL teams. Mcdonalds all operate separately but use the same things. The NFL teams operate separate by use the same things. Mcdonalds has competition from KFC and BK and others. The NFL has no competition.

The NFL is being treated unfairly because it has no competition imo.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but does the US have a higher court than the supreme court? Because I would appeal.

Also, Madden is licensed by the NFL and the NFLPA.

In my personal opinion, the ruling on this case is (not wrong) short-sighted.

[aholbert32]

Quote: Originally Posted by Exonerated

America Needle has not won yet. It's been sent back down to the lower courts. THe supreme court deals with matters of law. The lower courts deal with matters of facts. Also, the legal process takes ages. From 2 to 6 to 12 months. The other companies can start making football games only if or when the NFL's exclusive license is torn up. I think the case with American Needle has little effect on the video gaming exclusive license though. [thats my unprofessional analysis of the OP's blurb -- I should read the case now lol]

You are half right. The case goes back down to the lower court but the SC's ruling makes it very difficult for NFL to bring forth a strong defense. This case will likely be settled even before the lower court has a chance to hear the case again.

The ramifications will be that the NFL will be hesitant to enter into exclusive deals in the future. There will be a fear of an antitrust suit hanging over their heads. I dont think the NFL will tear up any current exclusive deals but I dont think they will extend them