Not sure if this was a SL&P or a Sports Thread related article...I found it to be interesting though...

 

All Madden, all the time

By Darren Rovell

ESPN.com

 

Electronic Arts, the leading maker of sports video games, signed an exclusive five-year contract with the National Football League and the NFL Players Association, deals that will give the company sole possession of the licensed football video game business.

 

The partnership, which will commence with the publishing of Electronic Arts' Madden game next August, eliminates the competitive battle EA endured this year with ESPN's NFL 2K5 game, a joint venture between Sega and Take-Two Interactive. Without the use of team and player names, generic games have struggled for survival in the current environment.

 

Before this year, EA's Madden franchise -- which the company has sold more than 40 million copies of since its debut in 1989 -- previously dominated the football game marketplace. Bit players, including Midway, 989 Sports and Microsoft, dropped out of the licensed football game business this year.

 

But the Madden 2005 game was seriously challenged by NFL 2K5, thanks to good reviews and a pricing war. NFL 2K5 was available in stores in August for $19.95. For three months, the Madden game was priced at $49.95, until the company finally relented on Nov. 8 and lowered it by $20.

 

"We considered a whole variety of factors in making this decision," said Gene Goldberg, the NFL's vice president of consumer products. "We chose EA based on game quality, marketing ability and track record."

 

As part of the deal, EA will have access to NFL resources, including video, audio and music scores from NFL Films. The partnership pertains to every aspect of gaming, including content for hand-held games, personal computers and cell phones.

 

Goldberg said he's not concerned that the monopoly on the business will cause EA to relax the year-to-year innovations that have been pushed by recent competition. Though financial terms of the deal are not known, Goldberg said there is "a lot of self-imposed pressure to improve the product to make it stand out in a robust and diverse marketplace."

 

Sports video games accounted for more than 20 percent ($1.2 billion) of the $5.8 billion video game market last year, according to the NPD Group, a market tracking firm.

 

EA spokesman Trudy Muller said that the deal is not a financial risk for the company.

 

"We believe this is a good investment for us, as well as the league and the players," Muller said. "We know we have a responsibility to our fans to continue to make the best game. We have plenty of competition with other games in the marketplace."

 

Electronic Arts also has exclusive deals with NASCAR, FIFA and the PGA Tour.

 

"This exclusive relationship will maximize the value of NFL players through EA's continued commitment to bring fans closer to the game," said Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFLPA and chairman of Players Inc., the organization's licensing body.

 

In a statement, Take-Two spokesman Ed Nebb disagreed.

 

"We believe that the decisions of the National Football League and Players Inc. to grant an exclusive license for videogames do a tremendous disservice to the consumers and sports fans whose funds ultimately support the NFL, by limiting their choices, curbing creativity and almost certainly leading to higher game prices," Nebb said. The game was "not a material contributor" to the company's profitability, "nor was it expected to be," Nebb said.

 

An ESPN spokesman said the company will evaluate the impact that the deal has on the company's licensing business.

 

The EA deal continues an unprecedented business year for the league. In January, the NFL signed Visa to a six-year deal worth $400 million. In February, Gatorade ponied up $500 million for the right to be called the official sports drink of the league for the next eight years. And PepsiCo signed a contract worth $560 million to use the NFL shield on its Pepsi, Frito Lay and Tropicana products in March.

Ehh i was hoping this wasnt going to happen. Now we have to option to buy the $20.00 ESPN NFL 2k5, and instead will have to pay $50 for Madden which will most likely not increase in quality like what we're used to now.

Wait, so ESPN can't put out a game?

 

 

If this is true, how dumb is the NFL. They realize this will hurt their relationship with ESPN, don't they?

Wait, so ESPN can't put out a game?

 

 

If this is true, how dumb is the NFL. They realize this will hurt their relationship with ESPN, don't they?

The only way they can is if they pay EA for the rights to use the NFL

Thats horrible news, I always loved comparing the two games. One is 30 dollars cheaper and now they killed it. ESPN getting a little of the monopolistic business principles thrown back at them now. Sucks ass but a little ironic.

Wait, so ESPN can't put out a game?

 

 

If this is true, how dumb is the NFL. They realize this will hurt their relationship with ESPN, don't they?

Well they could but they wouldnt be able to use any real teams or players or anything like that

That reminds me of the old Griffey games. They didn't any real players except Griffey. However, they tried to make the players similar to who they were supposed to be. I remember Frank was Big Magoo.

The original Ken Griffey was easily the greatest sports game of all time. I still play it to this day. Jack McDowell is a stud and "U B JOSH" aka Frank Thomas hits a HR like every time.

Old Tecmo Bowl games were by far my favorites. Bo Jackson and Christian Okoye would just run through everyone everytime, .

Tecmo Baseball was better...

 

The Cardinals heart of the lineup w/ Terry, Bruce, and Warren...Oh man it was over...

That reminds me of the old Griffey games.  They didn't any real players except Griffey.  However, they tried to make the players similar to who they were supposed to be.  I remember Frank was Big Magoo.

How lame am I, in the Girffey game I had, I went through and renames all the Sox players to who they really were according to the stats the game provided for them. I think only 2 players didnt have real stats, so i just guessed.

 

If I remember right, i think I even renamed a lot of the players on other teams too. THis is what I did as a child. In retrospect, I now understand why i am fat and out of shape. Damn you Ken Griffey Jr. DAMN YOU!!!

HAHAHAHA what now espn b****es

I'm definitely more of a Madden fan, but I view this as a bad thing.

 

Now, rather than having competition to put out the best game out there, EA can now slack off and create a sub-par game, just because there is no other competition out there.

 

I don't really like this...

 

(Hehe, I'm not liking a lot of things today...)

Excpet ESPN OWNS EA in Gameplay. EA is only better in MVP baseball, other than that, EA has NOTHING on ESPN.

This deal with the NFL tells us this.

Anyone think this is the NFL getting back at ESPN for their series Playmakers last year?

1. Isn't one of ESPN weekly football shows sponsered with EA? I never quite got that.

 

2. I know ESPN was considering raising the prices of their games up starting next fall. They are for sure going to be "full price" once PS3/XBOX2 are out.

2.  I know ESPN was considering raising the prices of their games up starting next fall. They are for sure going to be "full price" once PS3/XBOX2 are out.

Was just gonna say that, so the low prices aren't gonna last too much longer.

ESPN doesnt produce the game the ones that get screwed are SEGA as they make the game and incorporate ESPN into it, so maybe ESPN will try and works it way into Madden possibly?

ESPN doesnt produce the game the ones that get screwed are SEGA as they make the game and incorporate ESPN into it, so maybe ESPN will try and works it way into Madden possibly?

It could happen....Madden works for ABC, which owns Disney...Disney owns ESPN, as we know...

 

I kind of like that idea.

More and more bad news.

Madden was owned by ESPN in everyway imaginable.

Now EA will put out an even crappier game and all of us people who want a decent game of videogame football will need to play 2k5 and remember when we didn't have to put up with garbage from EA.

I don't know whats worse Madden or NBA Live. :puke

Get some graphics instead of just complicated menus no one uses. Damn it!

I'm definitely more of a Madden fan, but I view this as a bad thing.

 

Now, rather than having competition to put out the best game out there, EA can now slack off and create a sub-par game, just because there is no other competition out there.

 

I don't really like this... 

 

(Hehe, I'm not liking a lot of things today...)

exactly what i was thinking.

madden had to step it up to keep it's hold on the upcoming ESPN series, even though i never really liked it.

but now they can slack off and you know what? we'll still all buy it.

In the original Griffey game, Frank was U. Josh.

 

The best was the old NES Roger Clemens game. There were players with names so you could never guess who the real players were like S. Samsa.

How was ESPN's college football game?

Did ESPN ever make a college football game ?

They used to, but they quit after 2k3 I think.