One week away till the end of exclusive license.

[RyanLR101]

It looks like we are one week away from the end of the NFL exclusive license. I have not been able to find a specific date on the end date other than the license ends in 2013.


I do not see EA getting the license back due to all the legal issue's of late from College Football to Battlefield. Hope we here something soon.

[Segagendude]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

Won't get my hopes up. Like a free agent negotiation, there could be a last minute renewal...

[FaceMask]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

If the license opens, I wouldn't expect to hear anything official until sometime between February and March, and that announcement would more than likely come from 2K first, but the NFL would be smart to take the PR op and present it as being a move with the fans in mind. But who am I kidding, the NFL is stone. No thoughts in, no thoughts out, just operation.

[NYG 5]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

God, Yahweh, Spirit Mother, Talos, Devil, Science, Buddha, Ctuhulu, Obi-Wan, Snake, please, save us from this madness. the time has come. set us free

[damedash]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

God, Yahweh, Spirit Mother, Talos, Devil, Science, Buddha, Ctuhulu, Obi-Wan, Snake, please, save us from this madness. the time has come. set us free

Lmao...I'm dying over here

[johnnyg713]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

man it would be great if they didnt sign i new exclusive deal but another huge factor is 2ks willingness to even make a game. I don't know all the details but getting the money and finding a new development team would take some time. Not to mention developing a game worthy of next gen (in regards to 2ks standards). Lets say by some miracle 2k is finally allowed to publish a game again, i wouldn't expect to see one for 2-3 years.

[AntiBandwagoner]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

Won't get my hopes up, but this is certainly a good thing. I forsee a last minute agreement with EA, sadly.

[FaceMask]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

man it would be great if they didnt sign i new exclusive deal but another huge factor is 2ks willingness to even make a game. I don't know all the details but getting the money and finding a new development team would take some time. Not to mention developing a game worthy of next gen (in regards to 2ks standards). Lets say by some miracle 2k is finally allowed to publish a game again, i wouldn't expect to see one for 2-3 years.

None of those things are an issue.

2K Sports as an arm has always made their games on small budgets with smaller teams. They can do that because they're simply more talented than most dev teams out there.

Quite a few of the same guys who made 2K5 and APF are still at 2K, but on other projects of course. But 2K knows what's going on and will be prepared, and of course they're willing, it's the NFL. I'm certain that they have been doing update work in preparation for a possible return since it's a common practice among major dev houses, and they know their football engine is still one of their most prized possessions.

If the license comes loose, expect a game inside a window of 18 months or less depending on how much update work has been done over the years. Personally, I would expect the game no later than Summer of 2015 if the license comes open.

[dcal]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

Every 2 weeks for the past few years I have visited the 'Other Football Games' category holding out hope that I will actually find a new football game in the 'Other Football Games' category, just to be dissapointed every time. Its not likley the license will lapse and be given to another game company but here is to hoping.

I wish the NFL would at least license 2 companies to make a game, that would still give them sound quality control and allow for competition. I stopped playing Madden 2006 version 7.

[RyanLR101]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

On a positive note, companies typically want to get these type of things out of the way like in this case licensing before they expire then the company can plan for the future. If I remember correctly EA renewed there license far in advance before there last licensing contracted was up.

[kjcheezhead]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

On a positive note, companies typically want to get these type of things out of the way like in this case licensing before they expire then the company can plan for the future. If I remember correctly EA renewed there license far in advance before there last licensing contracted was up.

It makes sense also, shouldn't EA already be working on the next madden? I would think they would've wanted the licensing taken care of even before that. I don't want to set myself up for a let down, but I think there is reason to hope.

[Moegames]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

On a positive note, companies typically want to get these type of things out of the way like in this case licensing before they expire then the company can plan for the future. If I remember correctly EA renewed there license far in advance before there last licensing contracted was up.

Yes...didn't EA just very recently extend the license contract for just another year or two? It was like a short term extension only contract that was made a few years ago which gave EA one extra year with the exclusive deal for 2013....I know this took place but i just cannot pin point which year but it was not long ago. What i found odd is how they extended it for a much shorter period of time than the first exclusive deal back in 2004...in other words..when that long term exclusive contract was up not long ago..EA managed to secure the exclusive contract for one more additional year [for 2013] ..it was an extension of the exclusive rights..but this time it was only for one extra year.

So that might be a good sign for us seeing how there was no "ahead of time" discussions talking place or deal made ahead of time for a new exclusive deal between the NFL and EA.

All i want is for these "exclusive" deals with sports games to be done and over with. If these big shots at the NFL would just realize how many hearts get broken because of these exclusive deals...and how much it hurts the gaming industry...maybe they would stop all this nonsense..there's gotta be some of these big shots with a bit of a heart for us gamers..geez

I will keep my hopes up...i have honestly prayed for this exclusive deal to be over with..no kidding!! My heart sinks to my stomach thinking of a next gen NFL2K Game

[dcal]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

It makes sense also, shouldn't EA already be working on the next madden? I would think they would've wanted the licensing taken care of even before that. I don't want to set myself up for a let down, but I think there is reason to hope.

Very good point, by both of you. I had not thought of that. A glimmer of hope.

[NYG 5]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

Yes...didn't EA just very recently extend the license contract for just another year or two? It was like a short term extension only contract that was made a few years ago which gave EA one extra year with the exclusive deal for 2013....I know this took place but i just cannot pin point which year but it was not long ago. What i found odd is how they extended it for a much shorter period of time than the first exclusive deal back in 2004...in other words..when that long term exclusive contract was up not long ago..EA managed to secure the exclusive contract for one more additional year [for 2013] ..it was an extension of the exclusive rights..but this time it was only for one extra year.

So that might be a good sign for us seeing how there was no "ahead of time" discussions talking place or deal made ahead of time for a new exclusive deal between the NFL and EA.

All i want is for these "exclusive" deals with sports games to be done and over with. If these big shots at the NFL would just realize how many hearts get broken because of these exclusive deals...and how much it hurts the gaming industry...maybe they would stop all this nonsense..there's gotta be some of these big shots with a bit of a heart for us gamers..geez

I will keep my hopes up...i have honestly prayed for this exclusive deal to be over with..no kidding!! My heart sinks to my stomach thinking of a next gen NFL2K Game

they don't even care about the brains of their own players. why should they care about a bunch of whiny video gamer hearts?

[kjcheezhead]

Re: One week away till the end of exclusive license.

Yes...didn't EA just very recently extend the license contract for just another year or two? It was like a short term extension only contract that was made a few years ago which gave EA one extra year with the exclusive deal for 2013....I know this took place but i just cannot pin point which year but it was not long ago. What i found odd is how they extended it for a much shorter period of time than the first exclusive deal back in 2004...in other words..when that long term exclusive contract was up not long ago..EA managed to secure the exclusive contract for one more additional year [for 2013] ..it was an extension of the exclusive rights..but this time it was only for one extra year.

So that might be a good sign for us seeing how there was no "ahead of time" discussions talking place or deal made ahead of time for a new exclusive deal between the NFL and EA.

All i want is for these "exclusive" deals with sports games to be done and over with. If these big shots at the NFL would just realize how many hearts get broken because of these exclusive deals...and how much it hurts the gaming industry...maybe they would stop all this nonsense..there's gotta be some of these big shots with a bit of a heart for us gamers..geez

I will keep my hopes up...i have honestly prayed for this exclusive deal to be over with..no kidding!! My heart sinks to my stomach thinking of a next gen NFL2K Game

It was the year the players union negotiated a new contract. There was concern a player's strike would happen and EA asked for a discounted license payment. The NFL offered a compromise, a discount for that year but in return EA had to extend exclusivity another year. It seemed then that the NFL was happy with exclusivity but EA wasn't, at least not at the going price.

That makes me nervous how the NFL seems content but if EA wants out of exclusivity I don't see another company taking there place. I doubt 2k wants to exclusive, the one they had with MLB really hurt them. Madden sales didn't increase after the exclusive either, the game had to be more profitable under an open license.