Madden 2010 News Post

EA Denies NFL Lawsuit Rumors

05:55 AM - April 27, 2009 by Steve_OS

Joystiq has the scoop.

Quote:


	"Responding to questions regarding allegations made by retired NFL player Bernie Parrish, perennial Madden publisher, EA, told GamesIndustry.biz that it is, "Not aware of any legal action." Parrish wrote an open letter recently to the 2,062 retired NFLers who won $28 million in a lawsuit with the NFL last January, asking that they each put $1,000 of their stake from the last victory into a "litigation War Chest."

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Member Comments

# 1 PantherBeast_OS @ 04/27/09 06:43 AM

Hmmm very interresting. EA denies lawsuit.LOL It seems that EA doesn't not care much bout the hall of famers all. But they cared about them enough to use their names in the madden games. But yet when it comes to paying them what they rightfully deserve. EA is a out right greedy company. I mean they make billions of dollars each year of of their games. But yet they can't seat there and give a few thousands HOF players a few million each for using their name in a video game. HMMM greedy greedy greedy. I love some of EA games. But when it comes to cheating people. It's wrong. They deserve to be sued. Deny all they want. But it's all true.

# 2 blklightning @ 04/27/09 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pantherbeast


	Hmmm very interresting. EA denies lawsuit.LOL It seems that EA doesn't not care much bout the hall of famers all. But they cared about them enough to use their names in the madden games. But yet when it comes to paying them what they rightfully deserve. EA is a out right greedy company. I mean they make billions of dollars each year of of their games. But yet they can't seat there and give a few thousands HOF players a few million each for using their name in a video game. HMMM greedy greedy greedy. I love some of EA games. But when it comes to cheating people. It's wrong. They deserve to be sued. Deny all they want. But it's all true.

did you read what you just wrote? give a few thousand hof players a few million dollars each? at minimum, that would be 9 billion dollars total.

# 3 Exonerated @ 04/27/09 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blklightning


	did you read what you just wrote? give a few thousand hof players a few million dollars each? at minimum, that would be 9 billion dollars total.

Reading is overated.

# 4 mKoz26 @ 04/27/09 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exonerated


	Reading is overated.

Reading is also un-sim.

# 5 PantherBeast_OS @ 04/27/09 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blklightning


	did you read what you just wrote? give a few thousand hof players a few million dollars each? at minimum, that would be 9 billion dollars total.

Well alot of these of these HOF players names have been used in madden games over the years quite a few times. So they deserve it. And dude 9 billion is way overboard don't you think. In this lawsuit is about 2100 HOF altogether. 2 million per person comes around 400 million dollars. And for the record EA alone in 3 months last year brought in over a billion dollars in profit off of their games sales. I don't think paying 2100 HOF players 400 million is going to even hurt there pockets much. EA is a yearly billion dollar company. So guys sue away to get your money for this greedy company.

# 6 Village Idiot @ 04/27/09 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exonerated


	Reading is overated.

So is spelling.

# 7 Valdarez @ 04/27/09 09:42 AM

Sad. Anything that frees up the NFL license so we can have competition in the market place is a good thing for gamers of both 2K Sports and EA.

# 8 Netherscourge @ 04/27/09 09:47 AM

They don't have to be aware of legal action until they are served by the court.

# 9 deaduck @ 04/27/09 10:01 AM

Just as a sub-point, once you acknowlege the usage of HOF players names being used...How in the hell do you determine value to the sales/value of the game?

Is it by a retroactive poll that asks if people that bought Madden did it because it had the HOF names in it?

And strange as that would be to figure out, wouldn't the players suit be agianst the NFL not EA since it was the NFL as part of it's HOF that gave inclusionary rights?

# 10 joec63 @ 04/27/09 10:12 AM

Exactly, the NFL is the party that gave permission to use the names. This is just a matter of including EA because they have deep pockets. Also there is a difference between filing a suit and winning a judgement.

# 11 deaduck @ 04/27/09 10:59 AM

Not to say EA isn't about to be sued but I still find it amazing the vigor with which folks believe that EA is so "guilty" everytime a court case is mentioned.

It seems unlikely EA would have used the HOF content without the permission/urging of the NFL. Assigning blame is going to be a matter of establishing if EA paid the NFL more for such usage or if sales increased by said usage.

A legal quagmire I'd wager.

# 12 deaduck @ 04/27/09 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTheorenHobbes


	Didn't you follow the last suit...the one against the NFLPA? EA's name was all over the emails and other evidence used in that case. The only thing missing was EA itself. Like I said, this one should be a slam dunk.

No, I didn't follow it but it doesn't follow any sound legal reasoning that you can expect a suit agianst a entity that had control of a property to equate to win over a dealing by that entity to a third party.

Think of it as a movie that get sued by the actors but naming a company that produced a toyline based on the movie at fault. You would have to prove the toy company knew of a legal reason not to make the toys to find them at fault for the deal between them and the studio.

# 13 spit_bubble @ 04/27/09 02:07 PM

EA should take this opportunity to approach these retired players and forge some sort of deal to include them in the game, as well as settle out of court any past use of their likeness.

They all need to look at the bigger picture here: there is a market out there from which all involved can benefit. The retired players might very well stand to make more money in the long run if they come on board rather than take the matter to court.

Sure, it might sound good to these guys to get their piece of the pie by filing suit and pursuing justice... But they also potentially cut themselves off from any future revenue, as well as waste money on lawyer fees...

But they need to be shown this.

They need to have EA come to them with a long term plan to include them. It's really just a matter of pounding out a deal... Not always an easy task, I know... Especially with multiple parties involved, no real organization with the retired players, and perhaps a few bridges already burned... Still, this doesn't have to involve the courts, and would possibly be better for everyone in the long term if it didn't.

# 14 spit_bubble @ 04/27/09 04:51 PM

It's almost like once the ball of litigation gets rolling there's no stopping it. Now, these retired players have every right to go to court and their case seems legitimate, it just seems there is a better way.

It's unfeasible for a company to license these players individually. The only real way for a company to use their likenesses would be through small payments over the long term. Having an organization would be the best way to facilitate this, making it easier for players to join and get a paycheck they otherwise would not be getting.

# 15 spit_bubble @ 04/27/09 05:06 PM

Also...

The incentive for EA here is not only to have the right to use these players, but also to have to avoid going to court. Obviously an agreement may be hard to come by, especially when considering the seemingly widening rift between Players, Inc. and the retired players...

But someone has to look at the bigger picture. Someone has to see the potential here, not just for the current retired players, but also future retired players.

If a retired players organization is formed, you bridge that gap between the current and former players, as well as put a plan in place for current players... To have something to provide for them when their careers are over.

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EA Denies NFL Lawsuit Rumors