Madden NFL and the industry. What affect does this have on you?

[Colladie]

One issue I have with Matts logic. If NFL wanted to increase revenue stream, would it not make more sense to have two sources in the forms of EA and 2k Sports. Doesn't each game bring some revenue back to the NFL. This is where I believe what Valderez said was correct. EA probably offered the bigger contract for the license and 2k Sports did not.

[ProjectSRT]

Quote: Originally Posted by MattIntellect

I meant if you thought that the NFL wants competition amongst its NFL video games. The NFL wants one game that uses their name and logos, not 5 or 6 games competing with each other.

Yea i can agree with that. The NFL wanted that title that was synonymous with their product. "Madden" was becoming that title even tho it might not have been the better game.

[ghostlight85]

Valdarez, even if EA wanted to release the exclusive license, which I guarantee they don't, it wouldn't work out the way you think. I agree that competition is best for the consumer, but in this case the NFL would most likely sell the exclusive license to someone else if EA no longer wanted it. This was an NFL driven decision that EA gladly jumped into. 2k would have done the same thing (and did with MLB.) Interestingly enough, the 2k baseball series and the EA baseball series are very much a reverse parallel to the football games. Both were good at the time and now 2k is pretty bad. That's how I feel it is/was with Madden and nfl2k as well only it's madden that leaves something to be desired.

As for why EA was the NFL's top choice, I think it had more to do with the iconic status that Madden had achieved in video games in terms of popularity. I think that the NFL knew that if there was only going to be one NFL branded game, to not make it madden would leave more users without their product of choice and would have more backlash. Don't get me wrong, 2k had possibly a more loyal, hardcore fanbase. But it just had not achieved the same longevity and sales success.

You make a very good point about the different types of licenses and how they pay. I figure it was probably a combination of different types of compensation. I imagine they are paying a percentage of the profits as well as most likely a one time, or recurring lump sum.

[mikeacard]

the nfl chose ea and madden because they offered the most money. plain and simple.

[ghostlight85]

Quote: Originally Posted by mikeacard

the nfl chose ea and madden because they offered the most money. plain and simple.

Not sure it's quite that simple. They probably could make more money in pure revenue with multiple non-exclusive licenses. However, this was done I believe because they wanted a unified league image and didn't want to have multiple different perspectives on that image to distract from other NFL pursuits. I think they chose EA for multiple reasons. I'm sure EA did offer more money, but I think they also were appealing because they were more malleable, or agreeable to what the NFL wanted to be portrayed as.

[Valdarez]

Quote: Originally Posted by ghostlight85

Valdarez, even if EA wanted to release the exclusive license, which I guarantee they don't, it wouldn't work out the way you think. I agree that competition is best for the consumer, but in this case the NFL would most likely sell the exclusive license to someone else if EA no longer wanted it.

Agreed. If EA broke the contract, there'd be no guarantee they'd get a new one, or that the NFL wouldn't just go offer an exclusive license to another company. The timing of the exclusivity coupled with other back room dealings that have come to light now at least leave the door open with regards to just how that deal went down though, I don't think it will ever be cut and dry.

If it were truly a NFL based decision, then I think they would have gone with EA due to the Madden tie in (Madden being a Network announcer on their NFL Network, something they have been promoting like crazy the last 5+ years now). EA as a corporation has a better / bigger infrastructure to handle marketing endeavors as well than Take Two.

[ProjectSRT]

Quote: Originally Posted by ghostlight85

Not sure it's quite that simple. They probably could make more money in pure revenue with multiple non-exclusive licenses. However, this was done I believe because they wanted a unified league image and didn't want to have multiple different perspectives on that image to distract from other NFL pursuits. I think they chose EA for multiple reasons. I'm sure EA did offer more money, but I think they also were appealing because they were more malleable, or agreeable to what the NFL wanted to be portrayed as.

This.

[MattIntellect]

Quote: Originally Posted by Valdarez

Agreed. If EA broke the contract, there'd be no guarantee they'd get a new one, or that the NFL wouldn't just go offer an exclusive license to another company. The timing of the exclusivity coupled with other back room dealings that have come to light now at least leave the door open with regards to just how that deal went down though, I don't think it will ever be cut and dry. If it were truly a NFL based decision, then I think they would have gone with EA due to the Madden tie in (Madden being a Network announcer on their NFL Network, something they have been promoting like crazy the last 5+ years now). EA as a corporation has a better / bigger infrastructure to handle marketing endeavors as well than Take Two.

I agree. Is this the first time that I've actually agreed with you about something?