Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

[Big FN Deal]

Ok, technically mid-February may be an earlier indicator but I like the thread title and by March 15th it should be even more apparent that, the 2013-14 NFL season will probably be the last for EA's 9 year NFL exclusive video game license run.

The original five year deal was announced in December 2004 with the exclusive license set to expire at the end of the 2009-10 NFL season/Madden 10, the three year extension in February 2008 which changed the exclusive license expiration to the end of the 2012-13 NFL season/Madden 13 and the current one year extension in February 2011 which changed the exclusive license expiration to the end of the 2013-14 season/Madden 14.

With February usually being the official end of the NFL season following the Super Bowl and the 2012-13 NFL season/Madden 13 being the next to last year before the NFL exclusive license ends, no news could be good news, by March 15th, for the return of NFL video game competition.

For those wondering why in the Helen wouldn't I wait to post this after March 15th then or at least closer to it, because. Aside from wanting to have "I told you so rights", exclusive licenses seem to be an old outdated video game business model, that EA and other companies are no longer investing in. It seems the current video game business model is all about investing in the quality of the product and eliminating the competition through superior quality, not buyouts.

Yeah, like that will ever work......
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[TheDelta]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

Didn't they already extend the license last year during the lockout?

[scoonie05]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

^^^ Yes, it got extended to 2013

[LaW97]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

no way EA gets outbid whenever the contract is close to ending.
no way they let madden just go away.
whatever 2k or whoever brings to the table,EA will match it,
just cause they are the big dog in the room and can do so.

i only hope another company just sets out to make a game without an nfl license that happens to mirror the nfl

[GeorgiaSports]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

^Bingo. That would be perfectly ok by me.

Its not about the teams/players and so own when I play. I want realistic and good gameplay over all else I could handle it being fictional teams/players as long as the game play is superior.

[newjerseydamo]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

i only hope another company just sets out to make a game without an nfl license that happens to mirror the nfl

A company did, its called "Backbreaker"

[Big FN Deal]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

Didn't they already extend the license last year during the lockout?

Yep, it was announced in February 2011 and was for one more year, extending it until the end of the 2013-14 NFL season/Madden 14, which I stated in the OP.

no way EA gets outbid whenever the contract is close to ending.
no way they let madden just go away.
whatever 2k or whoever brings to the table,EA will match it,
just cause they are the big dog in the room and can do so.

i only hope another company just sets out to make a game without an nfl license that happens to mirror the nfl

I don't expect another company to outbid them, I think the exclusivity of the NFL license is going to end and go back to multiple licensing, probably at an increased price. The only company willing and most likely able to pay a "King's Ransom" in the first place was EA but I don't think that's their business model anymore. I don't know how many people noticed but the NCAA exclusive license is all but over and probably officially ends after the last College Bowl game in January 2012.

I believe the one year extension of the NFL license in February 2011 was only because of the looming lockout and now with a long term NFL CBA in place, that will not happen again, imo. Going by the last two times, when it came within two years of the license ending, EA renewed in February, so time will tell.

[LaW97]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

A company did, its called "Backbreaker"

Backbreaker does not mirror the NFL

its a game that is similar to American Football

but it doesnt mirror the nfl's season or players

[K0ZZ]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

Backbreaker was a glorified euphoria demo, people complain the AI in Madden is terrible, go play Backbreaker, it was literally just people running at eachother. The physics were beautiful but outside that, no. I felt ripped off paying $20 for the game.

[x_NBA_x]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

Just need someone like 2K to release a game that really out-does Madden and allow for the real players to be downloaded via a public share ( 2k share ). That way they shouldn't be liable because it's the community editing the names and putting them into the game.

[Nza]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

Just need someone like 2K to release a game that really out-does Madden and allow for the real players to be downloaded via a public share ( 2k share ). That way they shouldn't be liable because it's the community editing the names and putting them into the game.

And then SOPA will shut down the service sharing the files because of corporate interests

[roadman]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

Mmmmm, risky business with a title w/ EL in the title. Hopefully, mature posting will preserver.

Even though the exclusive license might be ending, I would think a game development company would be far behind the 8 ball to garner enough sales to make a profit.

One can dream, though.

[RGiles36]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

Mmmmm, risky business with a title w/ EL in the title. Hopefully, mature posting will preserver.

Even though the exclusive license might be ending, I would think a game development company would be far behind the 8 ball to garner enough sales to make a profit.

One can dream, though.

That's how I feel as well.

I also don't believe the exclusive license model is dead either -- at least not with the NFL. Everything they do is exclusive.

And even if the license expires, I reckon it'll be a few years before a competitor enters/re-enters the market.

[Big FN Deal]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

I appreciate this on topic post Roadman, instead of bringing up BackBreaker? or something else that has nothing to do with the topic. Anyway, some of the wondering attention spans in the posts kind of reinforce my belief in the NFL exclusive expiring because it doesn't seem necessary anymore. EA right now has a 7 year developmental and branding head start on NFL football games, with 2 years left of the current NFL exclusive license to achieve a polished stellar product.

Most decisions gamers make about their favorite games is driven by their passion but for most businesses it's all about the bottom line. A sign of the times seems to be that exclusive licenses are not the best investment for video game companies bottom line. No exclusive license to produce sports simulations has resulted in that game being the #1 seller or heralded as the best product. MLB The Show, NHL, NBA2k, UFC and FIFA are the best in their respective sport's class and bringing in top dollar without the added investment cost of an exclusive license.

Like I stated before, the NCAA exclusive license is all but done and any other company even considering wanting another NFL exclusive has to not only consider the cost of that license but the legal cost to defending against potential lawsuits because of it. I don't know that the exact total cost to EA for having all those exclusive licenses and things like the legal fees, including settlements will ever be disclosed but common sense says it ain't cheap.

The video game business, like the NFL, is a copy cat industry and in this tighter budget economy where people are looking to get the biggest bang for their buck, creating superior quality sports simulation games to beat out the competition seems to be trending. Paying to have exclusive licenses and annually shatting in a box because of no competitors, is not effective in an economy where gamers are no longer comparing sports simulations games to the alternatives but to the almighty sports they represent.

[kjcheezhead]

Re: Beware The Ides Of March For The NFL Exclusive License

I appreciate this on topic post Roadman, instead of bringing up BackBreaker? or something else that has nothing to do with the topic. Anyway, some of the wondering attention spans in the posts kind of reinforce my belief in the NFL exclusive expiring because it doesn't seem necessary anymore. EA right now has a 7 year developmental and branding head start on NFL football games, with 2 years left of the current NFL exclusive license to achieve a polished stellar product.

I think this is a major issue for a new game. A seven year head start and only 2k with any foundation built at all is huge. There was also talk that Kolbe Launchbaugh was hired by EA to work on Madden 14 on the new systems. I don't see anyone spending the development time on a game that has to compete against the likes of Madden if it's only going to last a year or two at most on these systems.

I think our best hope for a new football game will be when the new systems arrive. That will only be if EA decides the community has never embraced current madden and chooses to start from scratch again. It's the only way they could compete. If a company has to put a brand new game head to head against a ported Madden with then 8, maybe 9 years head start in development I doubt it happens. The risk isn't worth the reward.

An unlicensed game is doubtful as well. Since football doesn't do well outside of the US and Americans have showed no interest in any leagues not called the NFL, the unlicensed game is doomed to shovel ware status. At best it would meet NFL head coach or APF 2k8 type numbers.

I should state that I am talking about a completely new game company here. 2k is in a slgihtly different situation because there is a chance they could port over parts of the game modes from NBA2k and build off APF. With them, I still don't see an unlicensed game or an NFL game on these systems if the new ones are 2-4 years out.

If the license does go none exclusive about the only game I see releasing is something that isn't trying to compete head to head versus madden. Something like NFL tecmo bowl throwback on PSN.