NFL Antitrust: What it Means for the Sports Video Game Industry

[metal134]

I am certainly not an expert in the field, but I have a little bit of background in media and privacy laws as part of my Communication degree, so take this for what it's worth. I don't think that the Madden license is not an anti-trust issue, at least as far as the players are concerned. Privacy laws dictate that a celebrity's image is a commodity, one which they have control to sell and market. This would extend to the NFLPA as a group. Basically, they have the right to sell their likeness to whomever they want, however they want. So even if the NFL were to somehow lose this lawsuit, which I honestly don't see happening, you would still have separate issue of NFL licensing and player image licensing. That would mean another NFL game without real players. Another thing to consider is that in regards to privacy laws, corporations are often treated as a single likeness (which has already been mentioned in this thread) and as such, are often granted the same rights as individuals, which would mean that the NFL would be treated as a person in regards to privacy laws and the selling (or witholding) of their image. Again, I'm not an expert and there are probably some intricacies and interpretations that affect the argument which I have laid out, but still, I don't believe the NFL will lose this case and even if they do, I don't believe it open the door for 2K.

[travis a.d.]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheCreep

I'm with ya. I love it. Most folks do actually. 2010 is going to be the year!

one can only hope.

[canes21]

I doubt this case will go in our favor, but at least something is actually happening. If more and more people start to attack this, we might see change. Maybe if 10 shapes up to what I think it will, we won't need to worry about 2k. But going off past Maddens, we need competition.

[Hendrick4life]

Right, I just wouldnt like playing without 32 Teams. Then its not the NFL. Id like all 32 Teams even if it means keeping EA. But...I play ESPN 2K5 With updated Rosters & Other things so im not worried until that gets wayyyy to old.

[NYCNNJ]

Some of you keep talking about how HORRIBLE, 2K sports games are. EA arent that much better and at the moment, they have exclusive rights and their games may even worse. NBA Live is horrible, NHL Hockey, eh, Madden, eh, the only game that worth purchasing is NCAA Football.

[Cryolemon]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hendrick4life

Right, I just wouldnt like playing without 32 Teams. Then its not the NFL. Id like all 32 Teams even if it means keeping EA. But...I play ESPN 2K5 With updated Rosters & Other things so im not worried until that gets wayyyy to old.

People aren't saying there should be less than 32 teams in the game, just that some would be generic.

[Swingking77]

I find the subject redundent to be honnest... HUGE 2K sports fan here as well... The problem is not the licences, the problem is 2K's unwillingness to release a generic football game with complete control over players/team/location names... It would be as simple as making a generic game which allows people to make changes to key things like names/uniforms/stadiums that keeps the football world or gaming down... The licence can only be held acountable for sooo much. I think the OS forums have shown that with very little ability to mod things in the 2K5 games, we're done just fine at keeping it going... Emblems and all this king of thing could simply be added via DL, much like Forza does for the car industry... After that it's community based effor that would run with it and make a game... BUT, and this comes after years of waiting, I think that 2K simply doesn't want to do this as if they do this, when the Madden licence is remooved or is no longer in place, there will still be people modding this modable game, rendering their slice of the NFL pie worthless... They're still holding on to a shred of hope that the licence will be revoked and that they'll be able to get back in there, as such giving people total control of what can be done with the game doesn't makes sence at this time until such a time as the dispute is 100% resolved... Both sides are screwing the gamer in a big way... It's taken time, but I'm holding 2K just as responcible here as I am EA...

[vinny_b]

"Yuck.That would kill video football period in my opinion"


EA already did that. I haven't done so much as look at a football videogame, since NFL 2k5