EA’s NFL exclusivity might be a thing of the past |
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| BY Matthew Razak Mar. 5th, 2009 | More on: |
The day EA signed a contract with the NFL for Madden to be the only NFL sanctioned football game was a sad day for gamers everywhere. While the Madden franchise hasn’t disappointed too much over the years that it has truly been the only game in town, it still cuts back on the variety and choice of games one can pick-up that involve the NFL. Plus, some of us just randomly hate Madden and would really like to have the option to play something else. I’m not naming names here, but let us just say his first name is M_tthew and his last name is _azak.
Well now Mr. _azak finally has some hope that he can once again enjoy the NFL outside of EA’s grasp. GamePolitics is reporting that a new case in the supreme court may make EA’s exclusive NFL rights illegal. The case is American Needle vs. New Orleans Saints, et al. and should the court side with American Needle it would put EA (and Take-Two, who has exclusive third-party rights to MLB) in violation of federal antitrust statutes. In layman’s terms it means they would be seen as attempting to make a monopoly, which, outside of board games, is very illegal.
A blog that follows the supreme court called SCOTUSblog, lays it out for us: The NFL used to license American Needle to sell hats that bore the logos, the names or other insignia of pro football teams… But, in 2000, the NFL opted to solicit bids for an exclusive license to produce caps and other headwear. Reebok won the bidding, and in 2001 got an exclusive ten-year license. American Needle’s license was not renewed. So it sued the NFL, all of its teams, NFL Properties, and Reebok. American Needle’s case was thrown out by lower courts… “The [Supreme] Court has stated, on more than one occasion,” American Needle asserted, “that application of the Sherman Act to professional sports teams is wholly consistent with Congressional intent…”
This is basically what happened to 2K Sports when EA signed its exclusivity deal with the NFL. Thus if it is illegal for the NFL to do it with clothing than it is illegal for them to do it with games too. GamePolotics also reports that this case has been brought up multiple times in the class-action lawsuit Pecover vs. Electronic Arts. So this case is definitely on EA’s radar.
March 6th, 2009
at 2:31 am
madden is a terrible game that has gotten away with mediocrity year after year. With the NFL monopoly, there has been no challenge to push game innovation or limits. I don’t care if you are a MADDEN fanboy, the lack of any competition has hurt the gamers.
Look at Tony Hawk vs Skate. Tony hawk released title year after year with minor tweaks to the game(i.e.madden… enjoy the new grass texture?). The title has become very stale with the lack of any competition. ENTER SKATE. Skate’s innovative gameplay was a breath of fresh air for anyone interested in the sport or genre. So much so that it blew the latest tony hawk game away on the charts. TO THE POINT of Tony hawk taking a YEAR OFF and forcing themselves to push their game.
This is overall what we want as gamers. BackBreaker was a new football game in the works using new euphoria and physics engines where it relied on the physics for individually unique tackles and gameplay. EA did purchase this, but it just goes to show you that competition is good. They would have never come up with that on their own, as they’ve proven year after year with a new roster update and lame gimmicks.
March 6th, 2009
at 2:33 am
btw…. anyone remember NFL 2k5? Not only was it a pretty good football game overall, but they released it for $19.99 BRAND NEW. This FORCED EA to drop the price of madden football to something closer.
A perfect example of healthy competition
March 6th, 2009
at 3:32 am
I’m surprised how many people don’t relize that madden has rarely changed since it went next gen on the Playstation 2. Seriously, pick up a copy of Madden 2001 and note that with a few gameplay tweaks, an upgrade in graphics (although not a giant step), and roster updates, it’s essentially the same freakin game.
NFL2k5 was a god send and trumped madden that year (although not in sales since sheeple tend to flock towards shiny and highly marketed products), with better overall customization, franchise, and presentation. One could only dream what a next gen NFL2K would be like now (APF2k8 doesn’t count since it was basically 2k5 reskinned, although the presentation in that game is still better then madden).
March 6th, 2009
at 6:58 am
“…While the Madden franchise hasn’t disappointed too much over the years that it has truly been the only game in town…”
Madden has not just been a disappointment, it has been total garbage and a mockery of not only football video games, but of its own namesake and legacy. The game has been filled with glitches all generation long and to make matters worse the graphics have been scaled way back to hit 60 frames. The presentation is also garbage.
Madden is a joke now and the only people who don’t see it are the glitchers and the general guy who has no concept of what real football looks like. Unfortunately, Tiburon, the guys destroying Madden right now, have no concept of what real football looks like either and theirin lies the problem.
March 6th, 2009
at 7:58 am
Totally on your side guys. 2K5 was the best football game ever. Excluding Tecmo Bowl of course.
March 6th, 2009
at 8:30 am
Yeah, this and the NFL exclusivity with DirecTV. I want to be able to get the NFL games on my cable… but no… I have to get this huge satellite and expensive box and sign a 2 year contract and blah blah blah….
I played the 2k games on the Dreamcast and even got it on the original XBOX, but when they could no longer get a NFL license I didn’t buy another Football game.
TAKE THAT NFL!
March 6th, 2009
at 12:47 pm
My god get your heads out of your asses i know madden is bad but damn you cant keep comparing to the past its not coming back as far as 2k5 goes and once they can make a new football game what are they going to do port 2k5 over? please they all do the same god damn thing in every sports game so shut the hell up and start realizing yourself
March 6th, 2009
at 2:10 pm
lol @wxyz
you sound moderately retarded…
…good luck with that
March 6th, 2009
at 4:14 pm
The day EA loses that license will be the best day ever for Football video game fans. It was easier for EA to spend the money on the license to eliminate any competition rather than making a decent game. EA chose not to release a PC version of Madden 2009, leaving people like myself who purchased the game every year for over a decade- with nothing.
March 6th, 2009
at 9:53 pm
Madden is straight garbage. The day i found out there would be no 2k football was the day i stopped having any respect for ea at all. and, as far a people going back to the past…it’s what people do when the present does not surpass the past. Madden 05, 06 ,07 ,08 vs 2k5
March 6th, 2009
at 11:45 pm
Weither your a Madden detractor or not you have to admit competation is better for us the consumer. I never got into 2K products so I cant speak on its superiority over EA’s product ,but anybody whos knows anything knows having a choice gives the power to us the gamers and forces companies to earn our dollars. So would be good for both party’s.
March 10th, 2009
at 2:55 pm
IF 2KFOOTBALL COMES BACK MADDEN DAYS WOOD BE NUMBERD.
March 10th, 2009
at 5:04 pm
Loved 2k. Hate Madden. But if 2K comes back we to demand a little more from them as well.
We can’t pretend we have been left hanging by the threads and also with glitchy coding. I think it is time to bring in a 3rd party who truly wants to bring real football rather than just a variation of its closest competitor. Otherwise we end up like our American car market.
March 12th, 2009
at 3:50 am
Would that mean EA would have rights to MLB again? Cause MLB 2k9 sucks!
March 12th, 2009
at 3:52 am
I love 2k football but they can’t seem to do baseball at all!
April 17th, 2009
at 6:46 am
nice, really nice!
July 10th, 2009
at 9:30 am
maddens better than any other games
October 26th, 2009
at 9:48 pm
Madden is, and will be madden. That means, all of the drones will buy it. Year in year out. Why change a thing? No need. Look at that crap they call football, and people still buy it! Not i.
I like myself. And NFL2k4 and NFL2k5 were great fun!