Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

[Kaiser Wilhelm]

Quote: Originally Posted by kjcheezhead

Of course that won't happen but it probably should. The NFL didn't need to go exclusive and they had tons of fans paying for and enjoying 2ks game and the NFL stepped in and took it away. Millions of people (me included) are paying a premium to get the NFLticket and see a game that is being broadcasted for free, but if a few thousand don't go to the stadium, the NFL won't air the game in the home team's market. As much as I love NFL football just like everyone else, the NFL screws it's most loyal fans over all the time with these exclusives and I think that's terrible.

That seems to be a good buisness trend these days. Hook the consumer, then screw them over and feel helpless for change because they are addicted.

If only people understood the power of the consumer in a seemingly free market. Oh well, if EA renews the deal I will probably buy every 2 or three years or so. No point in buying a product every year for minimal improvement.

[Big FN Deal]

Quote: Originally Posted by rgiles36

Hell no. Obviously, our logic is different and that's perfectly fine. We won't see eye to eye, and that's fine to . It's not a coincidence that we don't have a college basketball game to play right now. 2K gracefully bowed out of that arena -- that, despite putting out a stellar college hoops game (2K8). When it comes to videogames, college sports are not in the same league as NFL/NBA (no pun intended). They don't sell as well, point blank. That's why the same logic doesn't apply. Did you see any marketing ramping up during this past holiday season for NCAA Football? Any commercials 2-3 months post-release? My point is they are not the same. You know, there was an extensive thread on this same topic a handful of months ago. I believe the user frontlining the thread was "LiquorLogic" and he employed the same logic as you as far as the potential for the license to expire. To me, it all sounds like reverse psychology. "Oh dear EA Sports, you don't need an exclusive license darling. You simply don't need it my dear. Let it go. You control the market. Surely, no one else is going to make a NFL game [as your fingers are crossed behind you]." You want EA to let their guard down, and pass up the opportunity to own the exclusive rights. However, you're also silently hoping that another developer (preferably 2K) is lurking in the shadows awaiting an opportunity to produce a more sim NFL videogame. EA as a brand is a lot of things. Stupid isn't one of them...

I was not arguing against your point of a company not bothering to create a NCAA games because of the 7 years. I was stating the same thing makes sense for there no longer needing to be a NFL exclusive license. However, that whole thing about the NFL exclusive license allowing for there to be no need for a NCAA exclusive, seems like some speculative theory you mentioned to justify EA keeping the one exclusive license over the other, imo. If companies aren't interested in taking the risk to create a licensed NCAA football game after 7 years, EA having the NFL exclusive license or not, has nothing to do with it, imo. Like you said though, it's cool, agree to disagree.

Also, while I would be pleased to see an open NFL license, I am not discussing what I want or hope EA or the NFL does. I am discussing how I interpret the events that have happened and what they MIGHT mean for a change in the future. Just because you interpret those same events as continuing the established status quo doesn't make your interpretation more likely and mine "wishful thinking", they are both just our opinions, as far as I know. However, you seem to keep trying to paint somethings I state as my "flights of fancy" instead of what they actually are, which is the way I see these things.


Time will tell.

[RGiles36]

Quote: Originally Posted by Big FN Deal

However, you seem to keep trying to paint somethings I state as my "flights of fancy" instead of what they actually are, which is the way I see these things. Time will tell.

Sorry about that boss. Certainly, it was not my intention to make your thoughts/opinions seem as though they are out of this world. In the end you could be right, just as I could. Time will definitely tell.

[KBLover]

Quote: Originally Posted by Kaiser Wilhelm

That seems to be a good buisness trend these days. Hook the consumer, then screw them over and feel helpless for change because they are addicted.

Welcome to capitalism?

I mean, that's what businesses do. Increase demand by making a product that gets people to buy it and keep wanting it and higher demand + "addiction" = higher price point before demand falls.

It's not screwing anyone. Like you said, the consumer has the ultimate choice. The $$$ are yours until you give them up.

[Big FN Deal]

There has been some discussion on various opinions of what the future may hold for the exclusive license but very little if any opinions on a renewal deadline.

Would no announcement of an extension by mid-February to mid-March 2012, make you believe there is a greater chance of the NFL exclusive license not being renewed or not? If not, is there any date short of early February 2014, the end of the 2013-14 NFL season when the current NFL exclusive license would presumably officially expire, that would?

[KBLover]

Quote: Originally Posted by Big FN Deal

There has been some discussion on various opinions of what the future may hold for the exclusive license but very little if any opinions on a renewal deadline. Would no announcement of an extension by mid-February to mid-March 2012, make you believe there is a greater chance of the NFL exclusive license not being renewed or not? If not, is there any date short of early February 2014, the end of the 2013-14 NFL season when the current NFL exclusive license would presumably officially expire, that would?

Maybe by end of 2012-2013 season? The game would come out in August 2013 for M14. So I would figure that would be about the latest they could decide for M14 and forward?

[roadman]

No, I don't have a deadline one way or the other.

I just don't care anymore.

I would love competition and the license to expire, but it won't impact my life one way or the other.

I just don't get too worried what might or might not happen, especially, when it's out of my hands and not in my control.

[Big FN Deal]

Quote: Originally Posted by KBLover

Maybe by end of 2012-2013 season? The game would come out in August 2013 for M14. So I would figure that would be about the latest they could decide for M14 and forward?

So around February 2013 then. I thought of that myself and actually originally became confused about what the date was for the license ending, thinking it would be one year earlier. Almost decided not to post this because of it until I realized that both previous renewals came around the same time, two years out from the license expiring.

I suppose EA can't just call the NFL at the last minute to re-up, so there seems to have to be some at least tentative deadline for getting it done. With EA currently claiming to have a 3 year business plan for Madden, I would think that if a renewal of the NFL exclusive license was part of it, that renewal would happen sooner than 1 year from expiration, like it has twice already.