NFL Owners Agree to Extend EA's Exclusive Rights Through 2025 Season

[illwill10]

Quote: Originally Posted by BleedGreen710

I think he means a generic football game like doug flutie/axis football are (which wouldnt need NFL permission). I'd do anything for another All Pro Football 2k game

Seeing NFL emphasis casual approach for 2k, makes me worry that NFL will fully influence what 2k can do. I seen a lot of us making suggestions of ways 2k could get around the "non-simulation" restrictions. But I can see NFL wanting 2k's game to be a very specific theme and not allow any get around or a All Pro Football style games

[boxboy99]

Connect the dots with the recent news. The NFL probably squeezed more of out EA by threatening to open the license to multiple companies. Plus, they secured additional revenue from 2K for non simulation games. The NFL probably made EA sweat. EA responded with the “innovation” pitch to meet NFL objectives. The NFL is keeping the pressure on with an aggressive option year based on revenue goals. Curious if EA’s pitch to the NFL was the same smoke and mirrors they use to market to consumers. My guess is the NFL never intended to open the license. They used 2K as a pawn to get a better deal from EA.

Just my speculation. It appears the NFL used classic negotiation to get the best deals. Unfortunately, this isn’t a win for the consumer.


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[illwill10]

Quote: Originally Posted by Milticket

I understood what he said, but why would they dump any resources in a generic game when they can put the NFL brand on their games now & probably actually sell it. They had 12 yrs since allpro to do a generic game...why would they start now. I doubt 2k was even at the table for this, since they already had a deal in place for non sim games. Sometimes you have to prove yourself until you can dance with the almighty NFL.

I agree. Nothing has prevented 2k from making a fully fictional APF. 2k definitely wanted to wait for NFL license to come available. 2k definitely cares about sales. 2k dropped it's struggling sports series to focus primarily NBA2k. They had the 3rd party MLB license and still couldn't compete with a console exclusive. EA was quick to point out when the 2k deal was first announced that "our deal always allowed for non-simulation licenses". So I question, why now for 2k to jump into non-simulation market. 2k must have to prove themselves first. If this 2k deal was done a few years ago and 2k had a couple successful games under their belt at the time of exclusive license voting, it could be a different story. 2k is in situation where it really has to hit it out of the park with whatever they're making or Hope Madden doesn't hit that revenue benchmark to get to final extra year. If Madden hits the revenue benchmark, then NFL will for surely keep extending the license.

[scitychamps87]

Just throwing this out there, couldn't EA's exclusive dealing relationship with the NFL be challenged under antitrust laws, as harming competition and the consumer?

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[inkcil]

The "NBA Live of American Football" continues it's reign as king of the virtual gridiron.

Money ($$$) talks, walks and gets exclusive rights.

It's all about the money. $$$

This could have been presented as "Rocky and Bullwinkle Football" by EA and they still would have gotten the award from the NFL because of...wait for it..............money. $$$

[Godgers12]

Did we expect anything else from a bunch of old guys who have never seen Madden in action let alone play it? We are now stuck with another 5 years of a monopoly. Madden will continue to be trash until the suits get out of the way and give the devs full creative freedom. Which we all know will never happen.

I lost all hope for Madden improving under the current direction of this dev team when Clint said the reason for dive and inside zone plays being so effective is due to the fact they have to program the OL to get a 1-2 yard push up front at the snap, otherwise the OL will trip up the QB on his drop back. So instead of fixing that major legacy issue, they just toss a bandaid on it, so they can work on finishing whatever flashy "Back of the box" feature the suits mandated they include in the game.

In other words EA are the Dallas Cowboys. Ownership (the suits) refuse to get out of the way and let the football people (the devs) do their jobs, resulting in a lackluster product every single year.

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[UFCMPunk]

So while the whole 2K vs EA thing never got off the ground the same way the wrestling war over ratings between WWE & WCW did, I've always thought of it the same... almost. Sorry for you non wrestling fans who won't understand what I'm about to say. After the buyout of WCW by Vince McMahon, WWE had some great years and put on solid shows for years. Madden after the exclusive license, had some great games released in the first several years of the exclusivity license.

Sure wrestling fans complained about the product growing stale and complaints about WWE being content without competition. Guess what? Vince knew at the end of the day the fans were still going to watch, and EA knows the exact same thing. They know we will still buy the game no matter what, until people vote with their wallet and sales drop, then we have something to talk about.

It sucks that we'll go another whole console generation without a competing sim game but it's a very good thing that the NFL added an incentive to get that last year of the deal. Hopefully the NFL will have changed their mind by then and re-open the simulation license up at that point but it is a sad day in the football gaming community.

[4thQtrStre5S]

Considering the numbers being celebrated by EA over Madden 20, I expect little in changes for actual Simulation of American Football and merely more revenue generating methods being implemented to reach the goals set by the NFL in the next 5 years.