EA Sports Signs Deal With NFL

[Mr_Slice]

Per this article on ESPN.com, EA Sports has singed a five-year deal with the NFL that allows them eclusive rights to all player and NFL licenses. This virtually puts a nail in the coffin of the ESPN 2K# line of NFL games that have recently given EA's Madden a run for their money. At a much cheaper price of only $20, ESPN's game offered what some felt as better gameplay and an overall better product for nearly a third of the price.

To complain, even though it won't work, go and sign the petition below.


http://www.petitiononline.com/nfleacon/

[skrumple]

Wow what a great move my EA now Espn is screwed. Madden is the best anyway and now its the only so that worked out.

[Mr_Slice]

Great move? Yeah, if you believe in monopolies. It's a horrible thing for video game fans. I challenge anyone who thinks Maddens is the best simply because of the name on the cover to play this year's ESPN NFL 2K5. The game is amazing and this whole deal is nothing but a travesty.

[skrumple]

That is also a good point. I was saying it was a good move now EA will be rich. I agree ESPN is a great game I just always have leaned towrd madden. Dont know why but I own both games for 05.

[iacas]

And now

look what they've gone and done :

Electronic Arts has dealt another blow to rival Sega by signing a 15-year agreement with ESPN, giving the publisher exclusive video game rights to ESPN branded material. EA has recently faced pressure from popular ESPN-branded Sega titles released at discount prices, prompting their recent deal with the NFL, and failed bid for the NBA.

I wish it was possible to band everyone together to not buy a single "2006" version of any EA sports games as a protest. This is infuriating. Enough to make me never, seemingly, play a football game on my consoles again.

[Mr_Slice]

That's ridiculous. I'm not thrilled with the deal either, but there is no way I will stop playing games. I used to play EA games before ESPN became a player anyway.

[Rafcin]

their (EA) products ARE the best. Have been for years, with or without licenses/names etc. People who are upset with "best product monopoly" are the same people who bitch about micro$oft. There is a reason why they CAN have monopoly, why NFL / ESPN do sign these deals. As "advanced" PC gamer I've all EA's NFL, NBA, Soccer and Hockey games from 1995 till 2005. I used to buy their "PGA Tour" golf series too, until I found out , that Links golf was better. Links didn't have Tiger Woods... would that change my mind If I want to play it? No. If it's the best game - I go with it.
The only thing I'm pissed about is that my wife talked me out of buying EA stock 6 years ago ("..,yeah, spend money on some stupid computer game company. Grow Up!" end of quote). At that time stock was at $24. Split twice since after reaching $100 twice and is way up there again. Grrrrrr....

[iacas]

Raf, you're gonna get some disagreement there. NHL2K5 and NFL2K5 are far better games than EA's offerings.

[Rafcin]

Raf, you're gonna get some disagreement there. NHL2K5 and NFL2K5 are far better games than EA's offerings.

I guess it's a subjective thing. Note, that I'm not talking about PS2 or Xbox - I'm strictly PC gamer. I had purchased/borrowed the other games and graphics/playability are way worse.. but it's of course IMHO only. I guess my point was, that if the game is really that good one shouldn't care if the Patriots QB's name is Bradski and not Brady

[iacas]

At least EA won't be signing on the MLBPA. Take Two

has already done that .

Videogame house Take Two Interactive, publisher of Grand Theft Auto as well as other sports titles, has taken the first step towards locking up exclusive videogame rights to Major League Baseball. Take Two announced an exclusive seven-year agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association, giving them the rights to use the names and images of professional baseball players in videogames. Negotiations with Major League Baseball to use the names, logos, and stadiums of Major League teams have not yet concluded, however.

Regardless of who signs the contract, I hate exclusive deals. They're bad for consumers. Period.

But at least having some exclusive licenses spread out among different developers is not as bad as EA getting them all. Incidentally, who controls the PGA Tour's players stuff? Nobody, because it's not a team sport? Is there a "PGA Tour Players Association" that negotiates things, or just the advisory board?

[Thrash13]

I know this isn't huge news, but EA also signed an exclusive deal with NCAA Football to have their games all to themselves. I figured the deal would happen since it happened with the Madden franchise.

This really didn't matter to me, as I get EA's NCAA Football every year. It is my favorite sports game year in and year out, so I didn't really care about this deal either way.

Sega Sports didn't even have a college football game last year anyway, so they obviously couldn't compete.

The only thing to worry about is the lack of new changes to NCAA Football. There is no competition to worry about, so we may be getting the same game this year as we did last year.

I'll still get it.

[dipgolf]

I think I read a couple weeks ago that EA and other developers lost their rights for MLB games. I forget the whole story and I need to look it up but that stinks.