EA + NFL = Monopoly
by Michael Cozzolino · in General Discussion · 12/14/2004 (8:25 am) · 73 replies
Well obviously EA wants to control the NFL game market and keep Sega from taking over their dominance. EA set up a deal with the NFL for the next 5 years to have exclusive rights to the NFL trademark. This includes use of Teams, Logos, Stadiums, Etc. So no one else can create a NFL Licensed game.
I have dropped EA long ago. Since Madden 94 and I have now gone to Sega ESPN Football for $19.99 and I think a much better game as do many. It looks like I'll be playing ESPN 2005 atleast until 2011.
So EA is continuing to look bad with their business practices. I will never buy an EA product again. F.U. EA. Try competing with product, not BS.
What do you guys think about this?
Coz
I have dropped EA long ago. Since Madden 94 and I have now gone to Sega ESPN Football for $19.99 and I think a much better game as do many. It looks like I'll be playing ESPN 2005 atleast until 2011.
So EA is continuing to look bad with their business practices. I will never buy an EA product again. F.U. EA. Try competing with product, not BS.
What do you guys think about this?
Coz
About the author
Indie Developer in the Albany NY area. iOS, PC, Mac OSX development. http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/michael-cozzolino/id367780489
#2
Then they bought Origin.
12/14/2004 (8:38 am)
I remember when Electronic Arts was a dirty word if you 'Y'elled it in Ultima.Then they bought Origin.
#3
Need For Speed
Battlefield
Command & Conquer
Medal of Honor
The Sims
Black&White
Sim City
Dungeon Keeper
Ultima
Lord of the Rings
FIFA, NBA, NHL, NFL
...and the likes
I find it really hard not play any of their games ;-)
For the sport games market, I've been watching progress on the FIFA series, where they published "small updates" with many glitches as full game, once, sometimes twice a year! I think by now consumers got tired of that!
Just a thought aside, if you combine PC sales with console sales, I really wonder what they are still trying to finance?! It scares me!
I haven't played FIFA recently ('03 was so bad), but most people seem to be liking Pro Evolution Soccer better now. Seems like they already lost field in the sport games market. Same will go for all other genres, if they don't change their strategies back to innovation, game design and development, instead of pushing marketing strategies.
I miss the times, when they released Racing Destruction Set, oh and what was it? No, that's too long ago...
12/14/2004 (9:35 am)
Yes, but with games like...Need For Speed
Battlefield
Command & Conquer
Medal of Honor
The Sims
Black&White
Sim City
Dungeon Keeper
Ultima
Lord of the Rings
FIFA, NBA, NHL, NFL
...and the likes
I find it really hard not play any of their games ;-)
For the sport games market, I've been watching progress on the FIFA series, where they published "small updates" with many glitches as full game, once, sometimes twice a year! I think by now consumers got tired of that!
Just a thought aside, if you combine PC sales with console sales, I really wonder what they are still trying to finance?! It scares me!
I haven't played FIFA recently ('03 was so bad), but most people seem to be liking Pro Evolution Soccer better now. Seems like they already lost field in the sport games market. Same will go for all other genres, if they don't change their strategies back to innovation, game design and development, instead of pushing marketing strategies.
I miss the times, when they released Racing Destruction Set, oh and what was it? No, that's too long ago...
#6
Edit: nevermind, http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=288468
12/14/2004 (10:25 am)
Just wondering where you heard this, I haven't found a news article on it anywhere.Edit: nevermind, http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=288468
#7
12/14/2004 (4:06 pm)
There's the CFL, why not go for that. It has fewer downs, smaller players and less *cough* bullshit. But I'm biased! ;)
#8
12/14/2004 (4:12 pm)
How about a sport without pads and helmets? Rugby anyone?? You could even have the funny guy that comes out ad points when someone scores. 
#9
12/14/2004 (4:25 pm)
The only thing EA care about is money... they don't care about what the game plays like.... it's shame because so many of the games could have been much better.
#10
[Edit to add the following:
Of course EA only cares about money, their a business, their purpose is to make money, games is only their way to do it, they've seen the big bucks, they know how to get them... Are you honestly telling me that if you could make $1,000,000,000 you wouldn't? I mean releasing a few crappy games to get that money, that could then be reinvested to make a few very good games would be worth it no?
12/14/2004 (4:26 pm)
Battlefield and NFS games are the only one's I play... It's their only quality titles... Any other EA game is just the same thing with a new year stamped on it/a new title screen[Edit to add the following:
Of course EA only cares about money, their a business, their purpose is to make money, games is only their way to do it, they've seen the big bucks, they know how to get them... Are you honestly telling me that if you could make $1,000,000,000 you wouldn't? I mean releasing a few crappy games to get that money, that could then be reinvested to make a few very good games would be worth it no?
#11
Bad News Baseball for the NES had big name players like "Chris" and "Bob"....and that game rocks.
On the plus side, if Sega starts making games that don't have real professional players in them, maybe it'll be easier for indies to compete in that market.
12/14/2004 (4:27 pm)
I wonder how well a non-licensed football game would do. I'm not a football fan, so it wouldn't bother me to be playing some no-name player playing for some no-name team, but I'm also not the type who plays sports games. I'm curious about how much impact it would have on sales if you didn't have big name players.Bad News Baseball for the NES had big name players like "Chris" and "Bob"....and that game rocks.
On the plus side, if Sega starts making games that don't have real professional players in them, maybe it'll be easier for indies to compete in that market.
#12
-Josh
12/14/2004 (4:58 pm)
Dubious Quality has some good commentary on this... I don't care about Football, or Football games.... I don't much care for the idea of this business practice though...-Josh
#13
12/14/2004 (5:07 pm)
I totally think that locking out other companies from licensing a brand is wrong. BUT I also understand that the NFL has every RIGHT to grant an exclusive license such as one to EA to produce games. And while I'm no fan of EA, why isn't anyone moaning about the NFL? They're more responsiuble for the situation as EA is considering they own the rights to the properties.
#14
12/14/2004 (6:41 pm)
I am annoyed at the NFL. I'm more annoyed with EA because of it's motives.
#15
12/14/2004 (7:02 pm)
Umm, the motives of EA and the NFL are identical. Make lots of money any (legal) way you can. Where is the difference?
#16
12/14/2004 (7:08 pm)
The NFL can be rather picky about who uses their license or logo, so they probably love the idea, after all Madden is the only football game worth looking at. I've been playing Madden since the Amiga 500 version. Never played any of the console versions, only PC versions. The only football titles I've played over the years pale in comparison. 
#18
NFL to make $300 million over 5 years.
EA to kill any of their competition and continue to shovel out inferior product.
12/15/2004 (3:09 am)
Difference in motive. NFL to make $300 million over 5 years.
EA to kill any of their competition and continue to shovel out inferior product.
#19
The success of sports games these days is not so much in the sport itself, but the personalities involved. It's marketing. Why do you think so much airtime during the Olympics was devoted to 'telling the story' of the major competitors?
A non-licensed sports game can succeed, but it's harder, as you have to start from square one and sell the 'characters' themselves (rather than just capitalizing on what's already been done). Or you can do what some games have done, and create characters that resemble their real-life counterparts (but not so much they are likely to be sued). Or create a game that de-emphasis the 'characters' in the game and uses generic players... but that's less appealing to most people. Still do-able, just less appealing.
12/15/2004 (6:25 am)
It's business as usual. Happens all the time with other licenses - movies, games, TV series, sports. Just the first time this has happened with the NFL.The success of sports games these days is not so much in the sport itself, but the personalities involved. It's marketing. Why do you think so much airtime during the Olympics was devoted to 'telling the story' of the major competitors?
A non-licensed sports game can succeed, but it's harder, as you have to start from square one and sell the 'characters' themselves (rather than just capitalizing on what's already been done). Or you can do what some games have done, and create characters that resemble their real-life counterparts (but not so much they are likely to be sued). Or create a game that de-emphasis the 'characters' in the game and uses generic players... but that's less appealing to most people. Still do-able, just less appealing.
#20
12/15/2004 (4:23 pm)
Nate: The people who wrote Shogun, released a rugby game, which was absoluteky dreadful. Still waiting for a company to create a realistic game of my favourite sport Rugger! 
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