ESPN promotion: Man, EA has Electronics Boutique by the balls

[Danimal]

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pk500 said:
Boys:

Man, the amount of control Electronics Arts has over the videogame industry stuns me more and more each day. Take the EBGames.com Web site as of 1 p.m. (EDT) today, for example.

Today is the first day that ESPN NFL Football, one of the most awaited titles in THE most popular console sports genre, is available at EB's nationwide.

Take care,
PK

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Before I start, let me just say I just got back from EB where I picked up the Xbox version for 19.99.

Now people like you just really make me laugh. The most anticipated title? Maybe in your mind it is. The simple fact is nothing is going on here, all week EB is promoting the game. In the store they had a big end cap display, they answer the phone "Your Sega Sports headquarters"

No, what is really happening is your upset that no matter what you think, Madden will still be more popular this year again. Maybe you should rag on Sega, nice commercial with "I'm Brian Fellows" in it.

Or better yet, just come to grips with the fact that yours is one opinion in a vast pool of millions and the masses prefer Madden. The bottom line, play the game and relax, EA isn't coming in second anytime soon.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Plain and simple EA owns the Sports genre. Madden will crush ESPN again this year. The casual gamer who makes up most of the market doesn't do a lot on researching the games and just goes on advertising and name brand. Madden = Football. It helps all the NFL players play Madden themselves. I wouldn't be suprised to see Sega give up on ESPN football if the gap even gets bigger. But for the consumer it's important we buy ESPN (if it's a good product which sounds like it is) because this forces EA to make better games.

[i3man]

Something I find interesting is the past 2 years ESPN has gone for defensive players as their cover boy while EA always seems to go for high profile offensive players. Maybe that influences buyers when they see both games side by side on retail shelves.

This year ESPN puts Warren "the cheap shot" Sapp on the cover, why? Anyone that saw Sapp cheap shot Chad Clifton then berate Mike Sherman on national TV has got to be turned off by Sapp, I know I am. It's like Hulk Hogan trying to pick a fight with Jed Clampett.

ESPN may have the inside the game presentation down but they sure need some lessons on outside the game presentation.

Enough said, I'm off to go buy my copy of ESPN. ESPN needs every customer they can get so I'll do my share to make sure there is an ESPN 2K5. You can never have enough football games in your video game library.

[Boilerbuzz]

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RahKhem said:
Being a business major in college, I have to love EA for their business strategy. They know how to keep a vice grip on a market that is constantly changing. They know that once the new consoles hit in a couple years, they can put their gigantic amount of resources into revamping the madden engine, that they can keep the ball rolling. I love Sega, but they can't hold EA's jock in business management and marketing. Not even close.

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In marketing, I would agree. I'm not so sure about business management. Consider what VC can do with such a smaller budget. You have to be just a little impressed. But maybe it's just the actual people. You never know. Just need a little peek inside of each studio to tell.