EA/NFL Extend NFL Exclusive License by One Year to 2013

[SECElit3]

As much as much as I would like to hold EA Sports responsible, I don't. I blame the NFL. From a business standpoint, EA did the smart thing by getting the exclusive rights to the NFL license. They had to protect themselves because developing games is very expensive. Don't you guys remember that 2K sold their game at 19.99 that year, and in doing so, undercut not only EA, but 95% of the other developers in business. 2K made a bad business decision that could have started a downward spiral, which could have resulted in a lower quality games for us or the end of the video game industry all together.

Does this mean that the lack of competition is a good thing? Absolutely not!
but, we should hold the NFL accountable. As a child, I loved the NFL. I looked forward to the releases of Madden as much as anyone else. There was a certain magic about the NFL. Sadly, I no longer feel that way. I don't buy Madden because of the NFL, I don't watch the games because of the NFL (See the last play of the Pro-Bowl, sickening) The exclusive agreement with EA is just the icing on the cake. Football was never intended to be commercialized the way it is today. The old school NFL would have never considered entering into any exclusive agreement such as the one with EA, because it hurts the fans and is wrong. Do you blame the underage teen who asks for the alcohol or do you blame the adult who gives it to him?

The NFL, by entering into this agreement is simply stating that is does not care about the fans. They have never questioned the fans to find out what they wanted? Do they care? Of course not! The people in those offices only care about what benefits them. "It's all about the money honey" Sad

Some other notables: Cancellation of the Philadelphia game due to a snow storm? (Really)
How about players complaining about field being too hard for the game that was moved to Minnesota's college stadium?

Need I say more?

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[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by SECElite3

As much as much as I would like to hold EA Sports responsible, I don't. I blame the NFL. From a business standpoint, EA did the smart thing by getting the exclusive rights to the NFL license. They had to protect themselves because developing games is very expensive. Don't you guys remember that 2K sold their game at 19.99 that year, and in doing so, undercut not only EA, but 95% of the other developers in business. 2K made a bad business decision that could have started a downward spiral, which could have resulted in a lower quality games for us or the end of the video game industry all together. Does this mean that the lack of competition is a good thing? Absolutely not! but, we should hold the NFL accountable. As a child, I loved the NFL. I looked forward to the releases of Madden as much as anyone else. There was a certain magic about the NFL. Sadly, I no longer feel that way. I don't buy Madden because of the NFL, I don't watch the games because of the NFL (See the last play of the Pro-Bowl, sickening) The exclusive agreement with EA is just the icing on the cake. Football was never intended to be commercialized the way it is today. The old school NFL would have never considered entering into any exclusive agreement such as the one with EA, because it hurts the fans and is wrong. Do you blame the underage teen who asks for the alcohol or do you blame the adult who gives it to him? The NFL, by entering into this agreement is simply stating that is does not care about the fans. They have never questioned the fans to find out what they wanted? Do they care? Of course not! The people in those offices only care about what benefits them. "It's all about the money honey" Sad Some other notables: Cancellation of the Philadelphia game due to a snow storm? (Really) How about players complaining about field being too hard for the game that was moved to Minnesota's college stadium?

So your best example of the commercialization of the NFL's on-the-field product is the final play of a game that not only didn't count, but one that has a pretty storied reputation over the past decade of being a joke? I challenge you to find a similar play in ANY of the 267 games played this year that counted.

Also, the so-called "old-school NFL" has been partaking in exclusivity deals as long as I have been watching it, be it with jerseys, hats, video games, or what have you. This isn't something new or unexpected.

As far as questioning the fans as to what they wanted, I'd guess if you went to any average NFL fan who played football video games at the time of the exclusive license negotiation, he'd be much more comfortable with the NFL entering an exclusivity deal with EA Sports for the continuation of the ever-popular Madden franchise over any other alternative.

Two other notes: (1) the Philadelphia - Minnesota game wasn't cancelled, it was postponed, and (2) given the NFL's emphasis on prevention of head injuries this past season, the outcry over playing a late December game on a field not designed with this use in mind and in a stadium that had already been winterized (i.e. the Vikings game at the University of Minnesota's stadium) could be seen as a pretty big deal.

[LiquorLogic]

Considering the fact that there is no CBA, and the players aren't covered health wise if they get injured, I don't blame the players for that play. How dumb would it be to tear an ACL for a meaningless game ?

Honestly, I don't think they should even have a pro-bowl.

[LiquorLogic]

Quote: Originally Posted by coogrfan

It's my understanding that EA is currently paying approx twice as much per year as the league used to earn from all of it's videogame licensees combined. Imo that alone pretty much rules out the NFL ever returning to a multiple licensee setup. If EA were to decide at some point in the future that 200% is simply too much, it's likely that the league would counter by offering exclusivity at a reduced rate.

Yeah, but at this point EA might not give a crap about exclusivity, there's no competitors to fear, and they may wish to pay roughly ten percent ,of sales from the game, like they did before. There are really no other suitors out there for the license, so the NFL really has no leverage. They're not going to forgo all revenue from video game sales. When EA acquired, and extended the license the first time, there were publishers for them to fear. Now, there aren't.

No one is bidding for the exclusive license, so EA can pay what they want.

[meep316]

Another year of this garbage?

[SECElit3]

Quote: Originally Posted by CHooe

So your best example of the commercialization of the NFL's on-the-field product is the final play of a game that not only didn't count, but one that has a pretty storied reputation over the past decade of being a joke? I challenge you to find a similar play in ANY of the 267 games played this year that counted. Also, the so-called "old-school NFL" has been partaking in exclusivity deals as long as I have been watching it, be it with jerseys, hats, video games, or what have you. This isn't something new or unexpected. As far as questioning the fans as to what they wanted, I'd guess if you went to any average NFL fan who played football video games at the time of the exclusive license negotiation, he'd be much more comfortable with the NFL entering an exclusivity deal with EA Sports for the continuation of the ever-popular Madden franchise over any other alternative. Two other notes: (1) the Philadelphia - Minnesota game wasn't cancelled, it was postponed, and (2) given the NFL's emphasis on prevention of head injuries this past season, the outcry over playing a late December game on a field not designed with this use in mind and in a stadium that had already been winterized (i.e. the Vikings game at the University of Minnesota's stadium) could be seen as a pretty big deal.

Ouch!



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[MJenness]

Let's get real here. EA bought the license for 1 reason and 1 reason only. 2K put our NFL 2k5, and it showed more promise and potential than Madden ever has. EA decided to take the easy route and simply eliminate the competition.
I have stopped buying Madden, and will continue to do so. Guys, it's really not so hard to do!
But EA also knows with the exclusive license that they could package a petrified turd, and it'd still seel by the boatloads, just because it is a) Madden and b) the only game in town.
Madden will NEVER be what it "could be" with Tiburon at the helm, and an exclusive license. Accept that, suck it up, and stop buying their rhetoric every damn year.

[kjcheezhead]

Quote: Originally Posted by CHooe

So your best example of the commercialization of the NFL's on-the-field product is the final play of a game that not only didn't count, but one that has a pretty storied reputation over the past decade of being a joke? I challenge you to find a similar play in ANY of the 267 games played this year that counted.

How about the debacle at the Superbowl not having enough seats inside the stadium and charging $200 to show the game outside the stadium when other events like Wimbeldon do it for free? How about trying to push an additional 2 games through when the fans are against it and they are supposedly concerned about increases in player injuries? Commercialization and greed at its finest.

Quote: Originally Posted by CHooe

Also, the so-called "old-school NFL" has been partaking in exclusivity deals as long as I have been watching it, be it with jerseys, hats, video games, or what have you. This isn't something new or unexpected.

The exclusive agreements started in the early 2000s I believe. American Needle launched its lawsuit in 2004 shortly after Reebok got one of the first exclusives I remember. Hardly a long standing tradition of the NFL.

Quote: Originally Posted by CHooe

As far as questioning the fans as to what they wanted, I'd guess if you went to any average NFL fan who played football video games at the time of the exclusive license negotiation, he'd be much more comfortable with the NFL entering an exclusivity deal with EA Sports for the continuation of the ever-popular Madden franchise over any other alternative.

1 out of 5 NFL fans purchased NFL2k5 when there was a choice. Since 20% of their audience enjoyed that game, why would the NFL go exclusive at all? Because they don't care about fans any more than they do player safety. Money is all that matters.