NFL Owners Likely to Vote in Favor of Extending EA Sports Madden NFL Exclusive License

[FroznYogurt]

Welp, it was fun while it lasted. There was an ever so slight, sliver of hope for...

Written By: Steve Noah

Click here to view the article.

[Sparkles]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

I can’t take it anymore!

[roadman]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

Boo, love how the article mentioned MUT at the end.

[ASZEMPLE]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports




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[illwill10]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

It seems like the deal is in place and just needs owners stamp of approval. In reality, no way it doesn’t get extended. Madden has brand recognition and sole licensed NFL game, and has always sold well commercially. So no real reason for them to shake things up. EA has the resources to offer a crazy deal for NFL to extend exclusive license. So the 2k partnership could just be a way to extend NFL market in game sphere and bring in extra revenue.

I just hope it isn’t the exclusive license and just the regular NFL license. I really don’t want to be stuck with another 7 years of Madden being the only “simulation” football game option.

[illwill10]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

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If that's the case, then by next week we'll see Madden's current deal get extended. I hate to say it. I don't see owners caring about video game competition. Madden has shown it can maintain status quo. If Madden is willing to pay a lot more for exclusive license(which it can afford), then I don't see owners not extending deal. Only way they wouldn't is if they feel other companies(2k) can bring in more money open with an open license.

[TarHeelPhenom]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

Disappointing to say the least,

[RubberSoul]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

This makes me more sad than it should. Amazing we will be 20+ years out from original exclusivity deal with EA with no end in sight. I actually preferred Madden back in the day to NFL 2K but things have gotten really really stale to say the least with Madden.

If we still have lifeless sidelines next gen I will not buy anymore Maddens as over-reactionary as that sounds. No excuse with the power of next gen to not have realistic sidelines and crowd.


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[JBucc]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

In reality it's probably never going to change until EA decides it's not worth it (which would mean sales would have to drop significantly), or someone can outbid them. The NFL is not going to open it up themselves.


It sucks though, that EA is locking others out of simulation NFL games while their most popular modes that they focus on are arcadey competitive modes. It really shouldn't be legal to lock out others with a contract that you aren't even fulfilling. But the definition of "simulation" is loose enough that they can get away with it.

[SolidSquid]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

Aaaand there goes any interest I had in the 2022 2K football game.

[reyes the roof]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

Have they ever announced what EA pays for the license and how it compares to what they were paying before they were exclusive? I’m assuming it has to be more than double what they were paying pre-exclusivity or NFL wouldn’t go for it

[illwill10]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

Honeslty, I don't think you can even fault EA if they are willing to pay a lot more to continue exclusivity. If you have opportunity to shut out competition and control market, then that's what you do. NFL went in that long period of wanting brand exclusivity. With deal seemingly done, its up to owners to decide. And unless owners decide an open license is more beneficial, no reason for NFL to change it up just to give gamers multiple options. Main reasons for NFL to continue EA's deal is either they are satisfied with the way things are going or EA is willing to pay whatever for exclusive deal.
It hasn't been announced yet if EA extended their NBA deal like 2k did. I don't see EA(even with their deep pockets) signing a 7 yr 1.1 billion dollar deal for NBA License for a struggling Live franchise. That's the type of deal I expect for NFL to have EA sign for Madden

[SonicBoom2040]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

Lifeless sidelines? That's your gripe? Might as well sign that deal then. Sidelines could be trees for all most of us sim guys care.....what matters is in BETWEEN the sidelines.

Or am I over reacting ......

[onegroove7]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

You can't expect NFL owners to care about the quality of NFL video games. My question is how did negotiations get this far? Isn't there some quality control part of the NFL's decision making here? Somewhere along the line, there should be someone who cares that EA's product suck.

Looks like EA is getting what they want. Disappointing result.

[mtmetcalfe]

Re: NFL owners to vote on five-year extension with EA Sports

Honeslty, I don't think you can even fault EA if they are willing to pay a lot more to continue exclusivity.

I don’t fault EA for keeping control of the exclusive rights to simulation NFL football. I fault them for holding on on to the rights and not delivering nor innovating on simulation NFL football.

This is really disappointing news. I can only hope that EA steps up their game next gen or somebody else comes along and is able to deliver in the field of simulation and franchise mode but just outside of the NFL banner. Both equally unlikely.