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

[Swingking77]

Quote: Originally Posted by 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

Competition is NEVER a bad thing... Period. It's better to have a 13 year old boy in the ring against a heavy weight then it is to simply have the heavy weight standing there alone...

[zgames]

Quote: Originally Posted by SageInfinite

Also I wonder how this would effect the NCAA football license? Would they have to give up the exclusive rights as well?

NCAA is different. To my knowledge, all of the college teams do have the ability to operate as single entities. I believe by acquiring the exclusive NCAA license, EA primarily has the exclusive right to call it NCAA Football. I would assume they have an exclusive on the BCS as well. The majority of teams use a company called the Collegiate Licensing Company to represent them, but there are some schools like Notre Dame and Virginia Tech that choose to represent themselves.

[elgreazy1]

Quote: Originally Posted by coogrfan

So because you're unhappy with the state of football video games, you would be in favor of a Supreme Court ruling that would effectively tell sports leagues that they do not have the right to market their intellectual property rights as they see fit? You guys really need to think about the larger ramifications of a win by American Needle. There's a lot more at stake here than just NFL 2k__.

I understand this and I'm looking at the big picture as well. It's not just about football games or having a 2K branded football game again, it is about the whole picture.


If corporations like the NFL continue to do this it stifles the consumer. When a consumer no longer has any viable option on a product they will not always get their money's worth.

Simply put, Madden has been very below average in the last few years and that has hurt the consumer. People are being forced to purchase the only NFL product out there that comes completely bug-laden & it's an unfinished product. That is INEXCUSIBLE! How would you like if Ford was the only car company allowed in the US yet the cars were sold faulty (lacking brakes, air bags, ex’s) and that is the only option we, as the consumer, had. Doesn’t seem right in the least. That’s exactly what EA has been doing: packaging an inferior product & making millions simply because it has no competition.

If the NFL continues to get away with this, who’s to stop the NBA or NHL or NCAA from doing the same? How would you like it if one of those companies signed an exclusive rights deal on a specific console that you don’t own? So you’d be forced to either go without a product or purchase a console you don’t want (much like being forced to purchase a game you don’t want) in order to get the product you demand. I understand that’s why we have capitalism, but that ideal is broken when monopolies start coming into place.

I understand, EA bought the license because the NFL put it up for grabs, there is no harsh sentiments towards them for that because every company had the same opportunity (not really) to purchase the license. EA simply did what they had to do to keep their best product in production; that’s good & smart business. But where EA clearly crossed the line was when the maliciously went after the NCAA football, Arena Football League, & ESPN rights simply to put 2K out of business (and EA’s other minor competitors). That right there is a red flag that a monopoly or bad business practices are in place. Another sign of a monopoly was when an NFL exec bundled rights to all previous & HOF NFL players at a low cost and packaged them in an under-the-table deal to EA, thus further cutting into 2K’s game market. There are many more articles like this.http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2008/09/lawsuit-nflpa-conspired-with-ea-to-cheat-retired-players.ars

[Swingking77]

Quote: Originally Posted by elgreazy1

I understand this and I'm looking at the big picture as well. It's not just about football games or having a 2K branded football game again, it is about the whole picture. If corporations like the NFL continue to do this it stifles the consumer. When a consumer no longer has any viable option on a product they will not always get their money's worth. Simply put, Madden has been very below average in the last few years and that has hurt the consumer. People are being forced to purchase the only NFL product out there that comes completely bug-laden & it's an unfinished product. That is INEXCUSIBLE! How would you like if Ford was the only car company allowed in the US yet the cars were sold faulty (lacking brakes, air bags, ex’s) and that is the only option we, as the consumer, had. Doesn’t seem right in the least. That’s exactly what EA has been doing: packaging an inferior product & making millions simply because it has no competition. If the NFL continues to get away with this, who’s to stop the NBA or NHL or NCAA from doing the same? How would you like it if one of those companies signed an exclusive rights deal on a specific console that you don’t own? So you’d be forced to either go without a product or purchase a console you don’t want (much like being forced to purchase a game you don’t want) in order to get the product you demand. I understand that’s why we have capitalism, but that ideal is broken when monopolies start coming into place. I understand, EA bought the license because the NFL put it up for grabs, there is no harsh sentiments towards them for that because every company had the same opportunity (not really) to purchase the license. EA simply did what they had to do to keep their best product in production; that’s good & smart business. But where EA clearly crossed the line was when the maliciously went after the NCAA football, Arena Football League, & ESPN rights simply to put 2K out of business (and EA’s other minor competitors). That right there is a red flag that a monopoly or bad business practices are in place. Another sign of a monopoly was when an NFL exec bundled rights to all previous & HOF NFL players at a low cost and packaged them in an under-the-table deal to EA, thus further cutting into 2K’s game market. There are many more articles like this.http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2008/09/lawsuit-nflpa-conspired-with-ea-to-cheat-retired-players.ars

Well said, and in a nutshell, the only argument that makes any sence... That being said, they did not attack 2K's ability to make a football game, only the licences to make "official" league games... Hence why I stated that they should make the generic football game and let people have total control of how to mod it... Since they're not putting out, at the very least, SOMETHING to compete with Madden they are also purpetuating the monopoly, which in the end, as you said yourself, screws gamers... As such, they're both douche bags for jamming it to the gaming community...

[Swingking77]

Quote: Originally Posted by 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

I'm sorry for the double post here, but could you please elaborate on why this would "kill" football video games? It's all fine and dandy to say it... But an explination would be nice...

Furthermore, if EA saw that as a result of this kind of open football game, that being exclusive means very little when pitted against a community of people willing to work at a better product TOGETHER, they would likely halt the wish for exclusivity all together... And eventually we would have pairity within video game football once again... And that goes for EA as well... Make a generic baseball game with complete custome ability... I'm on no ones side but we the consumers here... We deserve better for our hard earned (or at this point) rapidly decreasing money...

[7stringking]

That is the best point...EA having the NFL was one thing, but then when they went out and made sure that 2k simply could not get their hands on any League level football..

Well, that is the proof in the pudding they are dirty pool players

At least Sony gets to make The Show...And yet 2k can't even make an NCAA Football game...Which would MORE than make me happy

I could live without 2k doing the NFL..I'd probably buy Madden for Superstar mode alone(if they improve it a bit) and 2k's NCAA game if there was one

[GTheorenHobbes]

Quote: Originally Posted by coogrfan

So because you're unhappy with the state of football video games, you would be in favor of a Supreme Court ruling that would effectively tell sports leagues that they do not have the right to market their intellectual property rights as they see fit? You guys really need to think about the larger ramifications of a win by American Needle. There's a lot more at stake here than just NFL 2k__.

How would that be any different than a court telling Microsoft that they can't do with their intellectual property rights as they see fit? Don't we have antitrust/monopoly laws on the books for a reason?

And the last time I checked, the NFL isn't exactly doing the consumers any favors by whoring out their license to Directv and EA. Why should professional sports leagues be exempt from the antitrust laws, when the rest of business is not? I say screw 'em.

[raidersbball20]

this could really mess up games with having teams and logos individually bought