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Re: NFL Antitrust: What it Means for the Sports Video Game Industry
I don't see where you guys are getting this "only half the teams in the game". The NFL acts as a single entity. The issue is limiting who they sell the rights to, not whether each team owns their individual trademark.
The only change that we would see is other game companies being given the right to purchase the licensing agreement to the NFL and NFLPA. That is how it was done for decades. The stuff about not having the rights to every team is just scare mongering that EA is filtering through the pipes to save face on PR.
I know that the complaint argues about the individual teams, but a judgment against the NFL would simply force them to open up the license to other companies. A much easier solution for them than granting each team individual rights.Last edited by bears5122; 04-13-2009, 06:22 PM.Comment
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Re: NFL Antitrust: What it Means for the Sports Video Game Industry
I am certainly not an expert in the field, but I have a little bit of background in media and privacy laws as part of my Communication degree, so take this for what it's worth. I don't think that the Madden license is not an anti-trust issue, at least as far as the players are concerned. Privacy laws dictate that a celebrity's image is a commodity, one which they have control to sell and market. This would extend to the NFLPA as a group. Basically, they have the right to sell their likeness to whomever they want, however they want. So even if the NFL were to somehow lose this lawsuit, which I honestly don't see happening, you would still have separate issue of NFL licensing and player image licensing. That would mean another NFL game without real players. Another thing to consider is that in regards to privacy laws, corporations are often treated as a single likeness (which has already been mentioned in this thread) and as such, are often granted the same rights as individuals, which would mean that the NFL would be treated as a person in regards to privacy laws and the selling (or witholding) of their image. Again, I'm not an expert and there are probably some intricacies and interpretations that affect the argument which I have laid out, but still, I don't believe the NFL will lose this case and even if they do, I don't believe it open the door for 2K.A screaming comes across the sky...Comment
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Re: NFL Antitrust: What it Means for the Sports Video Game Industry
I doubt this case will go in our favor, but at least something is actually happening. If more and more people start to attack this, we might see change. Maybe if 10 shapes up to what I think it will, we won't need to worry about 2k. But going off past Maddens, we need competition.“No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth.”
― PlatoComment
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Right, I just wouldnt like playing without 32 Teams. Then its not the NFL. Id like all 32 Teams even if it means keeping EA. But...I play ESPN 2K5 With updated Rosters & Other things so im not worried until that gets wayyyy to old.F1 - Team Red Bull
NFL - Baltimore Ravens
NASCAR - Hendrick Motorsports
Come check out the forums @
http://www.THLForums.comComment
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Some of you keep talking about how HORRIBLE, 2K sports games are. EA arent that much better and at the moment, they have exclusive rights and their games may even worse. NBA Live is horrible, NHL Hockey, eh, Madden, eh, the only game that worth purchasing is NCAA Football.Comment
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Re: NFL Antitrust: What it Means for the Sports Video Game Industry
I find the subject redundent to be honnest... HUGE 2K sports fan here as well... The problem is not the licences, the problem is 2K's unwillingness to release a generic football game with complete control over players/team/location names... It would be as simple as making a generic game which allows people to make changes to key things like names/uniforms/stadiums that keeps the football world or gaming down... The licence can only be held acountable for sooo much. I think the OS forums have shown that with very little ability to mod things in the 2K5 games, we're done just fine at keeping it going... Emblems and all this king of thing could simply be added via DL, much like Forza does for the car industry... After that it's community based effor that would run with it and make a game... BUT, and this comes after years of waiting, I think that 2K simply doesn't want to do this as if they do this, when the Madden licence is remooved or is no longer in place, there will still be people modding this modable game, rendering their slice of the NFL pie worthless... They're still holding on to a shred of hope that the licence will be revoked and that they'll be able to get back in there, as such giving people total control of what can be done with the game doesn't makes sence at this time until such a time as the dispute is 100% resolved... Both sides are screwing the gamer in a big way... It's taken time, but I'm holding 2K just as responcible here as I am EA...Comment
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"Yuck.That would kill video football period in my opinion"
EA already did that. I haven't done so much as look at a football videogame, since NFL 2k5Comment
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Re: NFL Antitrust: What it Means for the Sports Video Game Industry
NCAA is different. To my knowledge, all of the college teams do have the ability to operate as single entities. I believe by acquiring the exclusive NCAA license, EA primarily has the exclusive right to call it NCAA Football. I would assume they have an exclusive on the BCS as well. The majority of teams use a company called the Collegiate Licensing Company to represent them, but there are some schools like Notre Dame and Virginia Tech that choose to represent themselves.Comment
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Re: NFL Antitrust: What it Means for the Sports Video Game Industry
I understand this and I'm looking at the big picture as well. It's not just about football games or having a 2K branded football game again, it is about the whole picture.<O
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If corporations like the NFL continue to do this it stifles the consumer. When a consumer no longer has any viable option on a product they will not always get their money's worth.
<O</O
Simply put, Madden has been very below average in the last few years and that has hurt the consumer. People are being forced to purchase the only NFL product out there that comes completely bug-laden & it's an unfinished product. That is INEXCUSIBLE! How would you like if Ford was the only car company allowed in the US yet the cars were sold faulty (lacking brakes, air bags, ex’s) and that is the only option we, as the consumer, had. Doesn’t seem right in the least. That’s exactly what EA has been doing: packaging an inferior product & making millions simply because it has no competition.
<O</OIf the NFL continues to get away with this, who’s to stop the NBA or NHL or NCAA from doing the same? How would you like it if one of those companies signed an exclusive rights deal on a specific console that you don’t own? So you’d be forced to either go without a product or purchase a console you don’t want (much like being forced to purchase a game you don’t want) in order to get the product you demand. I understand that’s why we have capitalism, but that ideal is broken when monopolies start coming into place.
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I understand, EA bought the license because the NFL put it up for grabs, there is no harsh sentiments towards them for that because every company had the same opportunity (not really) to purchase the license. EA simply did what they had to do to keep their best product in production; that’s good & smart business. But where EA clearly crossed the line was when the maliciously went after the NCAA football, Arena Football League, & ESPN rights simply to put 2K out of business (and EA’s other minor competitors). That right there is a red flag that a monopoly or bad business practices are in place. Another sign of a monopoly was when an NFL exec bundled rights to all previous & HOF NFL players at a low cost and packaged them in an under-the-table deal to EA, thus further cutting into 2K’s game market. There are many more articles like this.http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2008/09/lawsuit-nflpa-conspired-with-ea-to-cheat-retired-players.arsComment
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Re: NFL Antitrust: What it Means for the Sports Video Game Industry
Well said, and in a nutshell, the only argument that makes any sence... That being said, they did not attack 2K's ability to make a football game, only the licences to make "official" league games... Hence why I stated that they should make the generic football game and let people have total control of how to mod it... Since they're not putting out, at the very least, SOMETHING to compete with Madden they are also purpetuating the monopoly, which in the end, as you said yourself, screws gamers... As such, they're both douche bags for jamming it to the gaming community...I understand this and I'm looking at the big picture as well. It's not just about football games or having a 2K branded football game again, it is about the whole picture.<O</O
<O</O
If corporations like the NFL continue to do this it stifles the consumer. When a consumer no longer has any viable option on a product they will not always get their money's worth.
<O</O
Simply put, Madden has been very below average in the last few years and that has hurt the consumer. People are being forced to purchase the only NFL product out there that comes completely bug-laden & it's an unfinished product. That is INEXCUSIBLE! How would you like if Ford was the only car company allowed in the US yet the cars were sold faulty (lacking brakes, air bags, ex’s) and that is the only option we, as the consumer, had. Doesn’t seem right in the least. That’s exactly what EA has been doing: packaging an inferior product & making millions simply because it has no competition.
<O</OIf the NFL continues to get away with this, who’s to stop the NBA or NHL or NCAA from doing the same? How would you like it if one of those companies signed an exclusive rights deal on a specific console that you don’t own? So you’d be forced to either go without a product or purchase a console you don’t want (much like being forced to purchase a game you don’t want) in order to get the product you demand. I understand that’s why we have capitalism, but that ideal is broken when monopolies start coming into place.
<O</O
I understand, EA bought the license because the NFL put it up for grabs, there is no harsh sentiments towards them for that because every company had the same opportunity (not really) to purchase the license. EA simply did what they had to do to keep their best product in production; that’s good & smart business. But where EA clearly crossed the line was when the maliciously went after the NCAA football, Arena Football League, & ESPN rights simply to put 2K out of business (and EA’s other minor competitors). That right there is a red flag that a monopoly or bad business practices are in place. Another sign of a monopoly was when an NFL exec bundled rights to all previous & HOF NFL players at a low cost and packaged them in an under-the-table deal to EA, thus further cutting into 2K’s game market. There are many more articles like this.http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2008/09/lawsuit-nflpa-conspired-with-ea-to-cheat-retired-players.arsComment
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