EA/NFL Extend NFL Exclusive License by One Year to 2013

[ryan36]

Stop comparing the games guys, this is the madden forum

[Tchonz70]

I'm not particually too happy about this either. I do remain skeptical and optimistic. Though I as well as everybody else have some serious doubt about this; here is the way I look at it and maybe I am right (I doubt it!)

Im hoping that it is a possibility that EA is pulling out all the stops. We as well as EA knew that they held an exclusive long term contract over a long period of time. With that being said, I believe that they were comfortable sitting on their hands and being able to do very little necessary and they weren't in serious jeopardy of losing their rights (until now, now that the contract was about to expire). I believe that there is a real possibilty that EA is going to give everything they have to make this the best possible game ever made. I believe they revealed ther plans to the NFL and the NFL was willing to roll the dice with a 1 year extension to see how well the game was made (as well as how consumers like 2012's product and how much drastically will the sales rise-Because the $ is what it all about). I don't think the NFL is stupid and knows this and that is why they only agreed to 1 year contract or else they would have just simply signed them to another long term contract.

However, If I predicted this right-I must give you a warning. If EA manages to sign a long term extension, expect the same thing Nothing significant hasn't really changed since 2007. So 2012 may be a great year but if they were to sign a 5 year Contract don't expect anything to change until 2018 as their liscense would be again in jeopardy just like it is now.

[droopizzle34]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tchonz70

I'm not particually too happy about this either. I do remain skeptical and optimistic. Though I as well as everybody else have some serious doubt about this; here is the way I look at it and maybe I am right (I doubt it!) Im hoping that it is a possibility that EA is pulling out all the stops. We as well as EA knew that they held an exclusive long term contract over a long period of time. With that being said, I believe that they were comfortable sitting on their hands and being able to do very little necessary and they weren't in serious jeopardy of losing their rights (until now, now that the contract was about to expire). I believe that there is a real possibilty that EA is going to give everything they have to make this the best possible game ever made. I believe they revealed ther plans to the NFL and the NFL was willing to roll the dice with a 1 year extension to see how well the game was made (as well as how consumers like 2012's product and how much drastically will the sales rise-Because the $ is what it all about). I don't think the NFL is stupid and knows this and that is why they only agreed to 1 year contract or else they would have just simply signed them to another long term contract. However, If I predicted this right-I must give you a warning. If EA manages to sign a long term extension, expect the same thing Nothing significant hasn't really changed since 2007. So 2012 may be a great year but if they were to sign a 5 year Contract don't expect anything to change until 2018 as their liscense would be again in jeopardy just like it is now.

The NFL is happy with EA. That is why they always go to EA with an extension instead of opening up bidding. And I bet they re-negotiate again in 2013. I see no hope in sight,all we can hope for is EA to finally deliver a complete game....good luck with that hope...

[Only1LT]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

Hate to rain on your parade, here. C,mon, you need to look at all the revenues streaming in, not just a slice of the pie. 1st, the difference is 1.6 million units. 6.96-5.36=1.6 million units. The added revenue of MUT, DLC and and facebook sales. Add it all together with the numbers not lying, and Madden could be in the black. We don't know because we don't know the variables of MUT, DLC and Facebook. I do know that MUT was very profitable for them.

Even if they are making enough money from the online extras, that doesn't mean that a sharp decline in sales isn't a huge cause for concern. If sales trend downward then the money made from online extras will also decrease.

If iPhone sales went down drastically, but the amount of money spent in the App Store increased to the point that they still broke even, or even scratched out a profit, do you think Jobs would be happy? Eventually current users will curb their online purchases. Without new customers to make new purchases, the well dries up.

I understand the point that you are making, and I'm not saying that the numbers, what ever they are because you can't really trust VGchartz, you certainly can't trust EA, are currently, or even will be, drastically down, but if they are, regardless of what they did with MUT et al, that is a huge concern.

You can't buy MUT without having the game. Without games sales, there are no MUT sales. The game sales will always be exponentially more important than the DLC.

Activision stands to sell a lot of DLC for COD because it's in a ridiculous number of people's hands. But if they didn't sell a single map pack (not possible) it wouldn't make much difference.

If EA is in a situation where they NEED Johnny to buy potential, or what ever the hell it is that they actually sell in that online DLC, just to pay the bills, then that is not a good position for them to be in (not saying that they are, this is just hypothetical). When the online extras are no longer extras, but actually essential to their bottom line, that's what I, as well as EA, would call a problem.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by Only1LT

Even if they are making enough money from the online extras, that doesn't mean that a sharp decline in sales isn't a huge cause for concern. If sales trend downward then the money made from online extras will also decrease. If iPhone sales went down drastically, but the amount of money spent in the App Store increased to the point that they still broke even, or even scratched out a profit, do you think Jobs would be happy? Eventually current users will curb their online purchases. Without new customers to make new purchases, the well dries up. I understand the point that you are making, and I'm not saying that the numbers, what ever they are because you can't really trust VGchartz, you certainly can't trust EA, are currently, or even will be, drastically down, but if they are, regardless of what they did with MUT et al, that is a huge concern. You can't buy MUT without having the game. Without games sales, there are no MUT sales. The game sales will always be exponentially more important than the DLC. Activision stands to sell a lot of DLC for COD because it's in a ridiculous number of people's hands. But if they didn't sell a single map pack (not possible) it wouldn't make much difference. If EA is in a situation where they NEED Johnny to buy potential, or what ever the hell it is that they actually sell in that online DLC, just to pay the bills, then that is not a good position for them to be in (not saying that they are, this is just hypothetical). When the online extras are no longer extras, but actually essential to their bottom line, that's what I, as well as EA, would call a problem.

I think even a more logical post that mine(examining all possible revenue streams) is this post.

Looking at just the 360, Madden 10 sold 480,000 copies between week 27 and now. That is the point I was making. You guys are comparing 70+ weeks of Madden 10 sales to 27 weeks of Madden 11 and are dancing around arm in arm praising a 27% drop in sales.

That's not comparing apples to apples in sales, just trying to make something to fit into their equation.

[Only1LT]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

I think even a more logical post that mine(examining all possible revenue streams) is this post. Looking at just the 360, Madden 10 sold 480,000 copies between week 27 and now. That is the point I was making. You guys are comparing 70+ weeks of Madden 10 sales to 27 weeks of Madden 11 and are dancing around arm in arm praising a 27% drop in sales. That's not comparing apples to apples in sales, just trying to make something to fit into their equation.

I agree with this, which is why I said that I wasn't saying that the numbers actually are, or will even be, down when it's all said and done. If I had to take a guess though, I'd say that they will be down. To what extent, I have no idea.

It doesn't really matter though, because until the deal expires, or is revoked, we will still only have one game, regardless of how well or poorly it does. So looking at sales numbers is really an exercise in futility.

Thinking about the consumer is the absolute last thing on anyone's mind at the NFL or EA, so it's ironic how whether EA is or isn't profitable, is the first thing on a lot of consumer's minds.

[cree ross]

The new motto is " IT'S NOT FOOTBALL ,IT'S ONLY MADDEN"

[SageInfinite]

I would really like to know how Madden would fair off of just the game alone. No NFL teams, no NFL players, just the gameplay and features. I wonder how good EA would feel releasing that game? Personally I think the other top sports games this gen would still be worth playing without their licenses. I'm not so sure about Madden. I haven't played the final version of Madden 11(patch work), so I honestly can't comment, but from what I played before, I don't think it would fair too well.