I disagree with the core premise of your argument that the NFLPA - EA licensing agreement isn't exclusive.
As I posted earlier in the thread, the Polygon article from May about the NFLPA - EA license extension doesn't agree with your take that their arrangement isn't exclusive with respect to simulation games (again, emphasis mine):
Second, the NFLPA's press release about their own agreement with EA also explicitly called out EA Sports Madden NFL with the words "exclusive" and "simulation" in the same sentence. I similarly do not think that is accidental, either.
Speaking more practically rather than trying to analyze privately-negotiated legal documents we can't see and will never see, though: even if the NFLPA - EA license agreement doesn't contain a "simulation" clause similar to the NFL - EA agreement (which, again, I don't think that's the case, but let's roll with it), I sincerely doubt Take 2's legal department would greenlight anything which could potentially invite a lawsuit from Electronic Arts or the NFL. Regardless whether such lawsuits would ultimately have legal merit and withstand judicial scrutiny, lawsuits take time and more importantly money to resolve. Billion-dollar companies generally prefer to not pay lawyers if they don't have to.
Maybe we will all be pleasantly surprised a few years down the line, but from where we currently stand I see no reason to hold out hope for the NFL 2K successor a lot of people here want to see.
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