Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

[dizturbd]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

In any event, the NFL could've said no, so I would think that they would be part of the lawsuit as well.

Quit changing your ******* posts, countryboy. I have done research on this matter and here's the proof you so seemed to KNOW!

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/12/13/news_6114977.html

The deal, one EA admits to having lobbied for over the past few years, is an exclusive five-year licensing deal granting EA the sole rights to the NFL's teams, stadiums, and players.

Hmmm... seems like EA was after this for awhile. Either way, this is actually out of our hands and we must accept whatever ruling occurs.

[countryboy]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

All I have to say is if this indeed does work out for the plantiff, then I'm going after THQ and the WWE and UFC.

[odbman]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

By the way here are the 2k5 sales figures compared to Madden 05
PS 2 Madden 3.2 Million copies
2k5 1.5 Million
No numbers for Madden on Xbox but 2k sold 1 million so assume Madden sold zero on xbx,Madden still outsold 2k by 700,000 or by over 20% more.

[dizturbd]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

Ironic.

You say ironic, I say coincidental.

[countryboy]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

Quit changing your ******* posts, countryboy. I have done research on this matter and here's the proof you so seemed to KNOW!

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/12/13/news_6114977.html

The deal, one EA admits to having lobbied for over the past few years, is an exclusive five-year licensing deal granting EA the sole rights to the NFL's teams, stadiums, and players.

Hmmm... seems like EA was after this for awhile. Either way, this is actually out of our hands and we must accept whatever ruling occurs.

Calm down son, I changed my post because depending on where you read about it, you'll see different specualations as to who initiated the process.

Again, in any event, the NFL could've done as the NBA and said no, which in my opinion makes them just as liable as EA. All I'm asking is if the NFL is named in this lawsuit as well.

Can you answer me that since you've been doing all this research?

[Cryolemon]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

By the way here are the 2k5 sales figures compared to Madden 05
PS 2 Madden 3.2 Million copies
2k5 1.5 Million
No numbers for Madden on Xbox but 2k sold 1 million so assume Madden sold zero on xbx,Madden still outsold 2k by 700,000 or by over 20% more.

What were the figures for Madden 04 and 2k4? That's important to see if 2k's figures vastly increased.

[GTheorenHobbes]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

The point is I've yet to see a strong LEGAL argument that supports the claim that what EA is doing is a true monopoly.

If you're truly interested in reading the LEGAL argument, read both the Pecover complaint and the transcript from the motion to dismiss hearing that someone posted earlier.

If you read the transcript, you'll see the LEGAL argument that both sides made to the judge. EA's counsel rely heavily on the American Needle case, which the Judge distinguishes pretty easily.

[dizturbd]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

Can you answer me that since you've been doing all this research?

I wasn't using all caps, therefore I wasn't too upset about it. It was just irritating to see your post change from the time it appeared to the time I quoted it.

Anyway, I wasn't arguing that the NFL wasn't liable as well. I am actually in agreement with you on that. In a perfect world, I would like to see 2k Sports sued as well for the MLB exclusive rights. I am all for 2k getting back to making NFL games and EA can bring back Triple Play or whatever it was called.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

Maybe my logic is wrong here, but this is how I see it.

You create a series of bad-*** t-shirt designs that become the "It" product of America. Every kid to teen to twenty something in America has to have them.

Wal-Mart, Macy's, Nordstroms, Mervyn's, Penny's, Kohls, etc. all want to carry your shirt in their stores. They believe the shirts alone will make them money, but they also believe that it will also lead to additional sales of other products.

You decide, hey, I don't want to sell to Wal-Mart or Penny's or Kohls because it may devalue the "coolness" of my product. So you decide that you only want it in a more upscale department store and then receive an offer from Nordstroms and Macy's. Nordstoms gives you a few million more, you accept their offer and for the next 5 years you agree to only allow them to carry your product.

Is there anything wrong with that?

Should you be forced to also put your shirts in Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Kohls and Penny's?

I'm pretty sure there is a reason why you don't see Nike's or Seven jeans in the local Wal-Mart and I'm sure it has as much, if not way more to do with the the makers of the product than it does the department stores.
And I'm pretty sure the NFL had a reason for giving rights only to EA instead of 2K and whoever else wanted to make a game.

[dizturbd]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

What were the figures for Madden 04 and 2k4? That's important to see if 2k's figures vastly increased.

Sales numbers are irrelevant. As long as 2k Sports were making a profit, they should be able to decide if making NFL games can continue to be profitable for them. Not by having a larger company cripple their income by taking away their option.

[Only1LT]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

Personally, I own a 360. I don't feel it's a legitimate choice to spend $300 or $400 for one game, no matter how good it is. So, therefore, I am limited by my options and opportunities for a good baseball game.

The only thing I see different is that I have a personal choice to not purchase a PS3.

Lol. I see your point. I have a PS3, so that isn't an issue for me.

The one thing that you are off on though is that it is not Baseball's fault that you, as a 360 only owner don't have a choice. The MLB agreement allows First party platform MLB games. If MS wanted to, they could make an MLB licensed game exclusive to the 360, just like Sony.

Your choices are not perfect, but they are better than the choice you have with an NFL game, and could be even greater if MS ever decided to develop their own MLB IP.

I know I would be ecstatic to have this as an option AT LEAST in the Football gaming scene.

[SoxFan01605]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

If you're truly interested in reading the LEGAL argument, read both the Pecover complaint and the transcript from the motion to dismiss hearing that someone posted earlier.

If you read the transcript, you'll see the LEGAL argument that both sides made to the judge. EA's counsel rely heavily on the American Needle case, which the Judge distinguishes pretty easily.

I read them. I was talking about the arguments being made on this site (in response to another argument someone made here) to support those legal claims you reference. Everything argued here thus far has been speculative and is easily refutable. People are arguing out of passion and emotions mostly.

I'm quite certain that the attorney will present a significantly better legal argument...lol. As I said, I really don't see it holding up over the long haul, but stranger things have happened. We'll see how it pans out. I could care less either way (not invested) about how it pans out for this specifically. My interest and concern is mainly in how it trickles down to related issues.

[Cryolemon]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

Sales numbers are irrelevant. As long as 2k Sports were making a profit, they should be able to decide if making NFL games can continue to be profitable for them.

I disagree, because if 2k's numbers were up a lot it might have scared EA into going ahead and asking for an exclusive license.

Not by having a larger company cripple their income by taking away their option.

As much as it's harsh, there's nothing illegal about that, it's how business works.

[GTheorenHobbes]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

I disagree, because if 2k's numbers were up a lot it might have scared EA into going ahead and asking for an exclusive license.

I haven't been able to find the numbers quickly, but I seem to remember from having looked at it before that EA's sales margin got cut from 10-1 (with the 2003 iterations), to 5-1 ('04), to roughly 2-1 (2k5) before they pulled off the exclusive license deal. In fact, if my memory serves, 2k5 actually outsold Madden on the newer (and less popular) XBox with 2k5 vs. Madden 05, whereas Madden won on the far more popular PS2.

If I find the actual numbers, I'll post them here.

[GTheorenHobbes]

Re: Maddens legal battle starts today 09/14/2009!

I could care less either way (not invested).

Why not get "invested" and sign up to be one of the class plaintiffs in the Pecover suit (I did). What do you have to lose?