Oh boy... EA has exclusive rights to NFL games

[Stigmata]

http://sports.ign.com/articles/572/572886p1.html

Just when you thought ESPN Videogames was catching up, in one move, they've never been farther behind. Electronic Arts announced today an exclusive licensing agreement with the National Football League and Players Inc. to develop, publish, and distribute interactive football games. These agreements give EA the exclusive rights to the NFL teams, stadiums, and players for use in its football video games for the next five years.

You read that right…exclusive rights to the NFL teams, stadiums, and players.

Meaning no ESPN NFL 2K6, no more NFL GameDay, and bye-bye NFL Blitz. All football fans will be left with are Madden, NFL Street, and a new unannounced football management game that is in the works from, you guessed it, EA Sports.

"All of our data shows that there is a huge market for manager-style games," said Jeff Brown, Director of Corporate Communications for Electronic Arts, "and you could see a new type of football game from EA."

The agreement also provides the opportunity for new games and for EA to access both NFL Films and the NFL Network for use in the games.

On a scarier note for these same publishers, rumors are already circulating that EA is attempting to negotiate similar deals with the NBA and Major League Baseball. When IGN contacted Trudy Muller, spokesperson for Electronic Arts about these rumors, she told us: "We cannot speculate at this time about any further plans these other leagues may have."

Not that I play sports games, but this sucks, big time. I now officially hate EA more than Vivendi.

 

[Harryz]

I now officially hate EA more than Vivendi.

Woah, woah, I know your angry, but lets not jump to conclusions.

 

[Lemonking]

EA is evil mann i know it for them its all about Money not about games

 

[OmegaX]

I love the espn basketball games alot more than EA's NBA live. They better not take the rights from them. Its going to turn into a monopoly.

 

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[WhiteZero]

yey, offical rights to re-hash the same games every year, with slightly better gfx.
*sigh*

 

[AmishSlayer]

There is another thread lower on the page..but yea...it sucks a lot. I like ESPN football games way better than Madden.