ESPN NFL Football 2006 is now possible again!

[Windurst]

January 17, 2005 - With thundering force, Electronic Arts may have just swung the final punch to sports rival SEGA: the gaming giant just announced it has entered a 15-year exclusive licensing deal with ESPN.



Under the agreement, EA has exclusive video game rights to ESPN-branded print, telecast, and online content -- in addition to other ESPN media properties. The agreement covers all gaming platforms -- consoles, PC, handhelds, and wireless, and will begin in 2006, upon completion of ESPN's current licensing commitments.

The agreement most clearly affects Take Two and SEGA, which jointly publish a series of ESPN-licensed sports titles. The companies are still reeling from EA's announcement last month that it had acquired exclusive video game rights to NFL properties -- a direct challenge to SEGA's ESPN NFL franchise.

Obviously, the challenge is now doubled.

Electronic Arts explains the ESPN agreement as helping gamers: "This relationship was created to benefit consumers who are passionate about sports games," said EA CEO Larry Probst. "EA SPORTS recreates the real life experience fans enjoy while watching or playing their favorite sport; while ESPN programming captures the look, sound and excitement of the sports they follow. Together, we believe we can significantly grow the interactive sports category."

Until recently, EA's sports titles, such as the Madden NFL series, have faced vigorous competition from SEGA's ESPN Videogames brand, which saw success last year with a strong critical reception and prices cut in half.

We'll be back with more on the situation as soon as new details emerge

http://pc.ign.com/articles/580/580404p1.html

[schild]

Holy fuck.

[HaemishM]

I don't see how one giant assfucking rape-ship conglomerate company making the ONLY SPORTS GAMES AVAILABLE ON ANY SYSTEM is helping consumers, but... oooooookkkkkk.

Goddamn borging cumguzzlers.

[trias_e]

Cheers for the sports game genre!  First we lose High Heat, now this...

We're in for a fun ride!

[Windurst]

I don't see how one giant assfucking rape-ship conglomerate company making the ONLY SPORTS GAMES AVAILABLE ON ANY SYSTEM is helping consumers, but... oooooookkkkkk.

Goddamn borging cumguzzlers.

They wont be making the ONLY SPORTS GAME.   Other companies can still make football games... just not NFL football games.   It's probably better too... there are alot of better versions of football than the No Fun League.

If I were SEGA and Take Two,  I'd snatch up a CFL license.  The Canadian Football game is only about 3 times faster and more exciting than the slow NFL game.

[Murgos]

The point of owning a company and making a product is to make money.  This, I think, explains why there are no CFL games.

[WayAbvPar]

I don't see how one giant assfucking rape-ship conglomerate company making the ONLY SPORTS GAMES AVAILABLE ON ANY SYSTEM is helping consumers, but... oooooookkkkkk.

Goddamn borging cumguzzlers.

They wont be making the ONLY SPORTS GAME.   Other companies can still make football games... just not NFL football games.   It's probably better too... there are alot of better versions of football than the No Fun League.

If I were SEGA and Take Two,  I'd snatch up a CFL license.  The Canadian Football game is only about 3 times faster and more exciting than the slow NFL game.

Was your grandfather an Edsel fan? The CFL would sell about as well as a Ralphie May nude pinup calendar.

[Margalis]

I pity the person who makes a CFL game. Either make an NCAA game or lay off the entire staff and close shop.

Hopefully other sports won't follow suit.

[Windurst]

I don't see how one giant assfucking rape-ship conglomerate company making the ONLY SPORTS GAMES AVAILABLE ON ANY SYSTEM is helping consumers, but... oooooookkkkkk.

Goddamn borging cumguzzlers.

They wont be making the ONLY SPORTS GAME.   Other companies can still make football games... just not NFL football games.   It's probably better too... there are alot of better versions of football than the No Fun League.

If I were SEGA and Take Two,  I'd snatch up a CFL license.  The Canadian Football game is only about 3 times faster and more exciting than the slow NFL game.

Was your grandfather an Edsel fan? The CFL would sell about as well as a Ralphie May nude pinup calendar.

Nah,  all you'd have to do is make a football game with "multiple licenses".   Perhaps CFL, CIAU (Canadian university football), NCAA, and perhaps a fantasy football league of some kind.  Underprice it again and
promote the developer as "The Creators of the Critically acclaimed ESPN NFL 2K5" or something like that.

[murdoc]

I'm canadian and I think a CFL game would be fucking stupid. Though I could see them adding it as an unlockable in a NFL game.

[Windurst]

I'm canadian and I think a CFL game would be fucking stupid. Though I could see them adding it as an unlockable in a NFL game.

Bleh.  The only company that can do that now is EA.

I do like Madden... but I don't like the idea of EA Sports having the only football game.

If Take-Two made a CFL game,  i'd definately try it... espicially since the popularity of the CFL has risen significantly the last few years.

[MahrinSkel]

How much you want to bet that EA is currently negotiating with the NBA, the NCAA, and the MLB (throw in the NHL and any other alphabet soup)?  It's obvious they've decided to use their money and market share as a hammer to lock up the sports game market, and I don't see anyone but Microsoft having the cash position to fight them (and MS needs EA sports titles on the XBox 2 too badly to go that route).

For that matter, did you catch the subtext about Madden Football?  Basicly, if they don't sign a multi-year contract on more favorable terms to EA, EA's going to use their lock on the teams, stadiums, and rosters to gut the franchise.

It's a "virtuous cycle".  These exclusives give them an increase in share price, which improves their cash position, which lets them lock in more exclusive contracts, which improves the stock price....  And exclusives in one key area can be leveraged into locked monopolies across the entire sport.  5 years from now, when no-one has made a sports game for a major franchise in years and doesn't really have the expertise anymore, they may not have to pay as much.  I may not *like* what they are doing here, but the business logic of it is beautiful.

--Dave

[Zetleft]

Nothing they do can surprise me anymore, they already pissed on making any progress in an NFL game, time to screw up the other sports too.  Sega really needs to steal EA's Mutant League series.  At the very least how bout an updated Speedball game, that game was awesome on the genesis.

[stray]

Nothing they do can surprise me anymore, they already pissed on making any progress in an NFL game, time to screw up the other sports too.  Sega really needs to steal EA's Mutant League series.  At the very least how bout an updated Speedball game, that game was awesome on the genesis.

How about they go for the real thing and make a new Blood Bowl game? Speedball and Mutant League are just ripoffs of that.

[Dark Vengeance]

I pity the person who makes a CFL game. Either make an NCAA game or lay off the entire staff and close shop.

Hopefully other sports won't follow suit."

Given that NCAA regulations forbid the use of actual player names in NCAA titles, it's just one step removed from a fantasy game anyway. Plus, let's face it, EA's NCAA franchise is already a superior offering (something terribly fun about trying to make the cover of SI each week), and has some of the most recognizable college announcers in the game....toss in a full ESPN presentation, and you can nearly lock it up.

Agreed on CFL. The rules are slightly different than American football (e.g. larger field, more players). Moreover, most folks that play in the CFL are guys who can't make it in the NFL. You may as well do an AFL game...oh, wait.

They wont be making the ONLY SPORTS GAME. Other companies can still make football games... just not NFL football games. It's probably better too... there are alot of better versions of football than the No Fun League.

If I were SEGA and Take Two, I'd snatch up a CFL license. The Canadian Football game is only about 3 times faster and more exciting than the slow NFL game.

You realize that ESPN NFL 2k5 sold well for 4 reasons:
1) It was a 2005 NFL game, and a lot of people buy one every year.
2) It was only $20, while Madden was $50.
3) It was a pretty decent football game, about as good as Madden, based on tastes.
4) Some fans have an inexplicable white hot seething hatred for EA and/or John Madden.

I can honestly say that if Madden were only $20 at launch, I probably would have bought Madden. If both games were $50, I probably would have bought neither, as I typically only buy an NFL game 2-3 times a decade.

And I don't think I'm that far from the norm when it comes to the target market for sports video games.

Bring the noise.
Cheers.............

[d4rkj3di]

How much you want to bet that EA is currently negotiating with the NBA, the NCAA, and the MLB (throw in the NHL and any other alphabet soup)?

The NBA already told EA to go fuck themselves.

[HaemishM]

I'm really afraid the MLB will be too dazzled by the money to do the same.

This is great for EA's stock price, but still absolute shit for the consumer. Nobody benefits from monopolies except the monopolies.

[Righ]

I'm really afraid the MLB will be too dazzled by the money to do the same.

The MLB can't even run a league properly, so I have faith that they'll fuck up their franchise rights too. Wasn't it three strikes and you're out?

[Sky]

Together, we believe we can significantly grow the interactive sports category.

I guess it's hard for marketing types to follow the old adage don't shit where you eat, they use the same orifice for both. Translated: "We believe we can significantly grow our stock viability so we can inflate it for our investors."

When gaming isn't about making great games, but about corporate business, the gamer will always lose. See also: pop music.

Some fans have an inexplicable white hot seething hatred for EA

Hardly inexplicable. I'd say one of the better documented and deserving targets for gamer ire. To continue the music analogy, EA is the RIAA.

To wit, this thread and the original EA/NFL thread, for the latest local variant.

[Windurst]

Agreed on CFL. The rules are slightly different than American football (e.g. larger field, more players). Moreover, most folks that play in the CFL are guys who can't make it in the NFL. You may as well do an AFL game...oh, wait.

That is true for most CFL players.  There are a few exceptions though,  such as Mike "Pinball" Clemens, who probably could have made it to the NFL if he really wanted to, however, he chose to stay in the CFL.   If Damon Allen were younger,  he could probably make it in the NFL as well.  

Of course, there are several players that came out of the CFL and made it into the NFL (Mike Vanderjadt,  Doug Flutie, Warren Moon,  Jeff Garcia to name a few)

Also,  not all NFL players could play in the CFL too.   But you'd never find NFL players going there because the NFL has the notoriety and the pay is better.  The CFL player is generally smaller,  but faster than the NFL equivelants.   The game is different,  it's faster, the action is quicker paced, etc...

With EA having such a lock on the NFL,  why not give the CFL a shot and supplement the game with an "American Rules" fantasy football option.  That's what I'd do anyways if I wanted to compete with EA.

[Sky]

Well, shit. Why not make a world football (soccer, we call it) game with a fantasy american football option? Point is american football fans want to play NFL football. Period.

That's why you everyone being unhappy and whatnot. Because there's basically no good alternative.

[Windurst]

Well, shit. Why not make a world football (soccer, we call it) game with a fantasy american football option? Point is american football fans want to play NFL football. Period.

That's why you everyone being unhappy and whatnot. Because there's basically no good alternative.

Well, because World Football (soccer) and American Football are two completly different sports.

Once upon a time,  gamers played football games without the NFL license just fine.   There are many other types of Football out there.   Sure, it's not fair that EA now has an exclusive deal with the NFL.   But life isn't fair.

So, you have two options.  Either give up and not make any football game,  or explore other options. (Fantasy Football, CFL, CIAU, NCAA, etc...)

[HaemishM]

Gamers also lived with 4 color monitors and ASCII art.

We've moved on since then. Any football game without the NFL license when a competitor has the NFL license is dead in the water.