why EA *is* sweating...

[vinny_b]

how many of you watch ESPN 24/7? How many hardcore sports fans watch ESPN? How many casual sports fans watch ESPN?

my point: get ready to see ESPN pimping NFL 2k3 every chance they have. It's a natural. Will be an example of one hand washing the other. Kinda suprised, no one else on this board (or SR) has predicted this. Have some vision, gents...it's gonna happen.

Never uderestimate the power of advertising. EA's own TP franchise has proved this theory.

[PopoWRX]

Maybe. When Konami (?) had the ESPN liscense I didn't see a drop of advertisement for that game. Hopefully with Sega its different.

[iLLWiLL]

well, I certainly hope we see tons of Sega Sports commercials on ESPN -- commercials filled with GAMEPLAY, not 2 guys playing the game on a couch. I just hope Sega is in good enough financial position to do this. Who remembers seeing commercials of ESPN PrimeTime (Konami) last year, and how often? I didn't see a single one...

[vinny_b]

one problem. ESPN (Konami) sucked. Don't see what that has to do with the price of tea in China.

[CM1847]

We had a post about this earlier, so you're not the only person thinking about this.......but I don't think it would matter than ESPN's old Konomi games sucked, they could still have been advertised. If they got a HUGE push from the channel, then the game would sell, regardless of how bad it is. Just look at Triple Play......but I am hoping to see a bunch of advertisements for the game on ESPN, for no other reason than it would help(in the slightest way) bring Sega Sports closer to the level EA has gotten to. So then maybe people won't just goto the store, see the EA logo & buy the game of whatever sport they want, maybe someone will say "hey, Sega, those are those ESPN games, that looks good." It's just ridiculous how many copies of horrible games EA gets away with selling(mainly Triple Play & Live). And if this happens, EA will be forced to put the same effort into Live & TP that is does into NCAA & Madden that make those games so great. It would be great if it got to the point where more people bought Sega games just for the ESPN logo, I wonder what EA would do then....

[CoffeyN]

When you think sports news you think ESPN. When you think football you think John Madden(among others, but you think Madden before you think ESPN) Don't get me wrong, I watch ESPN 24/7 but I wouldnt buy NFL2K3 simply because it has ESPN stuff in it. The game even sounds like it will be a good game, but I just prefer Madden for its tradition of being a good game year in and year out. (also i can upload my NCAA 2003 draft classes when im in franchise)

[bubbachuck]

see that is the thing, I don't care. I am going to buy the game that I like to play more and that is that. Right now that game is nfl2k3. I could care less if sega outsells madden. That would just mean they have to stride even harder to catch up. I just want sega to get enough sales so they keep making games.

[BrokenDown]

NO one thinks madden before espn. only in games not real life. ESPN IS way bigger then john madden