Madden 12 News Post

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

07:10 PM - February 14, 2011 by RaychelSnr

The Sports Business Journal is reporting that the NFL and EA have come to terms on extending the current exclusive deal one more year with the uncertainty surrounding the 2011 NFL Season.

Quote:


	"The NFL has restructured its lucrative licensing and sponsorship contract with Electronic Arts to account for the sport�s uncertain future, significantly reducing the video game maker�s contractual obligations next season but adding a year to the deal, according to several well-placed sources. The contract now runs through 2013. The league is believed to have so far rebuffed pleas for fee reductions from other licensees and sponsors, many of which, like EA, find it difficult planning for the next season under the threat of a work stoppage. The league�s collective-bargaining agreement with the players expires March 4, and the two sides are far apart on reaching a deal. EA, however, is a special case, with its iconic �Madden� video game title. The licensing deal it agreed to with the league in early 2008 is believed to be worth well into nine figures in guarantees and royalties over its original five-year term. That stands as one of the most, if not the most lucrative non-TV contract the NFL enjoys. The NFL Players Association, which signed a companion EA deal for rights to the players, reaps regularly between $30 million and $40 million annually, according to the union�s annual filings with the Labor Department. The league deal allows EA to use team colors, names and logos."

This basically means that EA has exclusive rights to Madden now until after Madden NFL 14 -- or roughly right about the time the next generation of consoles are set to hit.

This just shows how strong of business partners the NFL and EA Sports are at this point. The NFL is giving EA a break on payments this year and has basically given them an additional year as a make-up of sorts to make right. Also, if you read my 2011 Predictions Post back in January, you saw this was my first prediction, that the deal would be extended in some way this year.

So in that respect, this news is not unexpected -- and with the deal stretching into the next console generation, I have serious doubts any other company is going to be in a position enter the market anytime soon due to the extreme cost of entry into quality sports game development that will be present at that time.

Thanks to Pasta Padre for the news tip.

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Member Comments

# 361 Only1LT @ 02/17/11 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjcheezhead


	I disagree. Almost every problem the past games had is still there or worse. For example, both games have had defenders running routes before wr's. However, ps2 has individual press coverage and wr shading. So if I shade a wr to the inside and he runs an out route, he will get seperation. The current version I just have to pray the cpu plays good defense for me without any input. So which game has better gameplay for pass defense? The one where the cpu makes all the decisions or the one where the gamer is allowed to have input on how his secondary plays?

I hear what you are saying, but I could also say that locomotion lessens the impact of psychic DBs, because even if they run the route with them, if their Spd, Agil, and Accel aren't the same, then the receiver will still be open.

You don't have to tell me that 11 has issues. Believe me, you don't have to tell me that lol. What I'm saying is that all of them are in the past Maddens. All of them. There are even a couple that are worse. So it just has never computed to me how anyone can say PS2/XBOX = great and PS3/360 = trash. They are the same game. It has been for a very long time. Not exactly the same, but pretty damn close.

The games on this gen have been developed to play like the games on last gen. Guess what? For the most part, mission accomplished. If 11 is bad, then all Madden's are bad. There is no logical way to dispute that.

# 362 ryan36 @ 02/17/11 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EddieV


	I'm not LT, but if you were told that you could never eat another McDonalds hamburger again -- only Wendy's, or that you could never drink another beer other than Coors (assuming that's not your favorite), would you just shup up and take it, or would you complain about it? Same thing here, really.

I'd complain if I thought it mattered. If the premise is "EA doesn't listen" the action "Complain and hope EA hears" is a fallacy.

# 363 Only1LT @ 02/17/11 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan36


	I'd say the Dev Team listens. Ian wanted to make a new game from scratch, they said no. So it's a level higher than Ian that has this issue. But if LT, as you say, your input doesn't matter, why waste your time giving it?

I don't know what other people's motivations are for posting on this site, but I've stated many times what mine is. I give my opinion on the game in discussion with other posters, because the gaming industry, in general, and Football gaming, specifically, is what I have a passion for. That's what I'm going to school to, hopefully, someday do.

I have never, ever posted with the intent of getting a dev to listen to me. You will not find a single post of mine, ever, in any wish list.

Given what I believe (know) about how the game development process really is, to actually come on here, with the expressed intent of the devs listening to my revolutionary changes, would be as good of proof, as any, that I'm certifiable lol.

That's why when TNT goes ballistic about people asking for changes to the game, I can barely see my keyboard through the tears I have at crying laughing to his responses. He has no idea how ridiculously unfounded his fears actually are.

# 364 ryan36 @ 02/17/11 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Only1LT


	I don't know what other people's motivations are for posting on this site, but I've stated many times what mine is. I give my opinion on the game in discussion with other posters, because the gaming industry, in general, and Football gaming, specifically, is what I have a passion for. That's what I'm going to school to, hopefully, someday do. I have never, ever posted with the intent of getting a dev to listen to me. You will not find a single post of mine, ever, in any wish list. Given what I believe (know) about how the game development process really is, to actually come on here, with the expressed intent of the devs listening to my revolutionary changes, would be as good of proof, as any, that I'm certifiable lol. That's why when TNT goes ballistic about people asking for changes to the game, I can barely see my keyboard through the tears I have at crying laughing to his responses. He has know idea how ridiculously unfounded his fears actually are.

LT, you always crack me up...

At least you have perspective, ya know? Madden is OK...not great. Next year, I'll wait still, probably.

I'm sad EA didn't give Ian and co. a chance to start from scratch, they're trying to take a 2 player offline tourney-game , and make it sim.

# 365 mestevo @ 02/17/11 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EddieV


	You're wrong, dude. Retailers aren't stuck -- just look at the millions EA has set aside in reserve for unwanted copies of EA Active 2. You really think Best Buy is gonna sell Madden or any other game for less than what it paid? LoL.

They can and do, it's retail 101. Get bodies into the stores, they're going to buy high margin strategy guides, or something else while they're there, or join a rewards program, signup for Amazon Prime, Game Informer subscription, etc. Many may buy simply the game, but a percentage will buy more and that is why it's done.

There are few restrictions on retailers, they usually do have a minimum advertised sale price, which is why you'll see things like 'add to cart to see price' on many websites for some consumer electronics. Frys routinely has sales below this minimum advertised price so their flyer then says 'MAJOR NAME BRAND' rather than 'SONY' for a TV that's on sale.

The only indicator that a publisher has reduced the price (and these are typically permanent, like Backbreaker's current $19 price point) is when it is done uniformly across multiple sites. The publisher doesn't put a game on sale.

EA 'giving away' Madden to hit 5mil copies is another fallacy, sorry. Retail economics account for the pricing you keep citing.

# 366 Only1LT @ 02/17/11 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	No offense taken ... Even w/ the shaky line play of M10, I'd still venture to say it was better than anything the PS2 Maddens produced. Fast forward to M11, the line play was vastly improved. The run-blocking, while it's not perfect, is the best that Madden has ever offered (best ever in a football game for my money). And in pass-blocking scenarios, the tackles actually get a little depth which allows the QB to actually step up in the pocket. For what it's worth, the slippery-pig group tackle animation rarely happens in M11. I've personally have seen it no more than 5X. As far as PS2 sideline catching -- heh, I didn't think it was anything to write home about. Clearly just my opinion though. You think the tackling was better last generation? My point remains the same: the gameplay now is better than it ever has been. The previous generation offers a level of depth that has been unmatched, and I acknowledged that in my previous post. But when it comes to gameplay, I'm not sure how one can go from what we have now to the PS2.

Not to turn this into one of those threads lol, but I can't see how you can make this statement.

Forget for a moment that the new run blocking logic only works at the LOS (if that) and then after that it is basically as it has always been, but the main problem with the line, that makes it much worse than an unmentioned game, is how the trench battles play out.

Line interactions in Madden come down to one thing. The players engage, come to a stand still, and there is absolutely no visual representation of who is winning until the defender does his escape animation and negates the block. There is no flow. There is no riding defenders. No way to read a block. You approach a blocked defender, but you really have no idea if he will be blocked by the time you reach him (probably won't be) or to what side you should try to pass him because you have no idea what way he will shed the block. It's a guessing game. Setting up blocks is nonexistent because regardless of what side you bait the defender to go, he could easily disengage to either side, regardless of his position.

Blocking in Madden is atrociously handled and always will be as long as they have this one on one OL/DL lineman engagement, that has no movement until the shed animation gets dialed up, and the defender comes completely free. They can make all the blockers block who they are supposed on every single play, and it will not make blocking any less poor, as long as this is the case.

# 367 RGiles36 @ 02/17/11 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Only1LT


	Blocking in Madden is atrociously handled and always will be as long as they have this one on one OL/DL lineman engagement, that has no movement until the shed animation gets dialed up, and the defender comes completely free. They can make all the blockers block who they are supposed on every single play, and it will not make blocking any less poor, as long as this is the case.

I won't go into deep detail about it -- the trenches is not my specialty. But of the games I compare it to and from my experience, I enjoy running the ball more in M11 than any other football game. I think to an extent you can read the blocks. That, and I feel that real holes are opened up to run through. In a competing game released in 2004, running the ball was a hat trick. If a holes opened up in a realistic manner, it was sort of a luck of the draw (although coincidently the draw play hardly worked in that game). In another competing game released in 2007 (I believe), I think the running game was good. I have nothing bad to say about it b/c although I own it, I haven't played it as much.

But again, for my money, running the ball in M11 offers the best experience

.

**Now do I think the line interaction as a whole is better than the previous competition's? No, and that's not what I tried to imply.

# 368 Only1LT @ 02/17/11 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	I won't go into deep detail about it -- the trenches is not my specialty. But of the games I compare it to and from my experience, I enjoy running the ball more in M11 than any other football game. I think to an extent you can read the blocks. That, and I feel that real holes are opened up to run through. In a competing game released in 2004, running the ball was a hat trick. If a holes opened up in a realistic manner, it was sort of a luck of the draw (although coincidently the draw play hardly worked in that game). In another competing game released in 2007 (I believe), I think the running game was good. I have nothing bad to say about it b/c although I own it, I haven't played it as much. But again, for my money, running the ball in M11 offers the best experience . **Now do I think the line interaction as a whole is better than the previous competition's? No, and that's not what I tried to imply.

If your point was that you find it more fun to run on Madden 11 than any other game, then that is a point that I will not, and should not, argue.

Thanks for the clarification.

# 369 kjcheezhead @ 02/17/11 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	No offense taken ... Even w/ the shaky line play of M10, I'd still venture to say it was better than anything the PS2 Maddens produced. Fast forward to M11, the line play was vastly improved. The run-blocking, while it's not perfect, is the best that Madden has ever offered (best ever in a football game for my money). And in pass-blocking scenarios, the tackles actually get a little depth which allows the QB to actually step up in the pocket. For what it's worth, the slippery-pig group tackle animation rarely happens in M11. I've personally have seen it no more than 5X. As far as PS2 sideline catching -- heh, I didn't think it was anything to write home about. Clearly just my opinion though. You think the tackling was better last generation? My point remains the same: the gameplay now is better than it ever has been. The previous generation offers a level of depth that has been unmatched, and I acknowledged that in my previous post. But when it comes to gameplay, I'm not sure how one can go from what we have now to the PS2.

I do actually. Not leaps and bounds better tho, just slightly. I hate pro-tak animations period. I think they look ridulous and tackles play out poorly overall. While the old system is nothing to write home about, it seems to handle solo and 2 man tackles better and looks better in motion overall.

With all else being equal or near equal, I'll take the ability to shade wrs, individual press coverage and lead blocking control of the ps2 over current maddens system. So for me, gameplay is a wash or maybe slightly skewed in favor of ps2.

For me, gameplay I'd give ps2 about an 8.5 and current gen about an 8. But overall depth, features and fun factor I give ps2 madden a 10 and current madden about a 5. Ps2 kills it in that regard and it's not even close to me.

# 370 mr_president @ 02/17/11 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgiles36


	I won't go into deep detail about it -- the trenches is not my specialty. But of the games I compare it to and from my experience, I enjoy running the ball more in M11 than any other football game. I think to an extent you can read the blocks. That, and I feel that real holes are opened up to run through. In a competing game released in 2004, running the ball was a hat trick. If a holes opened up in a realistic manner, it was sort of a luck of the draw (although coincidently the draw play hardly worked in that game). In another competing game released in 2007 (I believe), I think the running game was good. I have nothing bad to say about it b/c although I own it, I haven't played it as much. But again, for my money, running the ball in M11 offers the best experience . **Now do I think the line interaction as a whole is better than the previous competition's? No, and that's not what I tried to imply.

i will contend that running the ball in madden can be fun, but for me it does not offer the best experience. the suction,teleporting and line interaction seems to always find a way ruin it for me.

there are other games that have done it much better,ncaa 11 to name one and another was released back in 07.

# 371 ryan36 @ 02/17/11 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	It doesn't matter. If a retailer makes less on the game, either their shipments will have to decrease or EA's price for the shipment will have to decrease.

Actually the cheaper it is , demand goes up. Profits go down in margin, but more units ship at a cheaper price.

# 372 falconfansince81 @ 02/17/11 05:07 PM

pasta padre's in sight on the matter, decent read with a couple new perspectives:

http://www.pastapadre.com/2011/02/16...atisfied-party

# 373 mestevo @ 02/17/11 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	You're acting as if a retailer is going to have no reaction, what so ever, to decreasing profit margins. If a retailer orders 10,000 units and only sells 7,500 in the time frame that they wanted, how many units do you think the retailer will order the next time around ? If the demand decreases for the buyer, it also decreases for the seller. If a retailer sees the demand decrease, first they'll decrease the price, then they'll decrease their shipments. When the publisher (EA) sees this, they'll lower the price of their shipments, or ship less units. Either way, they make less money. One hand washes the other.

Except that none of that has anything to do with the pricing for Madden 11. Prices were decreased for marketing purposes by retailers, not by EA. If EA reduced the price, it would have seen a reduction uniformly across all channels (and MSRP wouldn't be $59.99 still).

Here's what it looks like when a publisher drops the price:

http://camelcamelcamel.com/Backbreak...uct/B002WSR8CQ

Here's what it looks like when a popular title is placed on sale:

http://camelcamelcamel.com/Madden-NF...uct/B002I0J4FW

(click all for the range when those pages load btw)

As you can see, sale happens, game returns to MSRP, or Amazon's general discount off MSRP for most titles. You can clearly see that Madden still has a $60 price, while Backbreaker dropped in $10 increments to the $20 it is today. Meanwhile Madden had sales during the holidays, and has returned to its discounted MSRP of $~55.

# 374 CaptainZombie @ 02/17/11 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mestevo


	Except that none of that has anything to do with the pricing for Madden 11. Prices were decreased for marketing purposes by retailers, not by EA. If EA reduced the price, it would have seen a reduction uniformly across all channels (and MSRP wouldn't be $59.99 still). Here's what it looks like when a publisher drops the price: http://camelcamelcamel.com/Backbreak...uct/B002WSR8CQ Here's what it looks like when a popular title is placed on sale: http://camelcamelcamel.com/Madden-NF...uct/B002I0J4FW (click all for the range when those pages load btw) As you can see, sale happens, game returns to MSRP, or Amazon's general discount off MSRP for most titles. You can clearly see that Madden still has a $60 price, while Backbreaker dropped in $10 increments to the $20 it is today. Meanwhile Madden had sales during the holidays, and has returned to its discounted MSRP of $~55.

The one thing I do not understand is that now both NCAA and NFL seasons are over, and both games are still retailing for $59 unless found on sale. You would think that once the season is over, they would drop the prices a little bit on these for those that might want to bite with still having Superbowl or Bowl game(s) fever and they can make a few more sales.

# 375 roadman @ 02/17/11 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EddieV


	Regardless of how much profit EA makes per copy sold, let's look at the sales numbers to date (per vgchartz -- which was just updated today): M10 (across all platforms): 7.36 million http://www.vgchartz.com/worldtotals....=50&sort=Total M11 (across all platforms): 5.36 million http://www.vgchartz.com/worldtotals....=50&sort=Total Looks like EA is actually lucky that there is the threat of a lockout -- I'd be looking for concessions from the NFL, too, if my numbers declined that much in a non-lockout year.

I doubt that includes the sales of MUT, Facebook and other DLC.

# 376 mestevo @ 02/17/11 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	I doubt that includes the sales of MUT, Facebook and other DLC.

This, and we're only 27 weeks into Madden 11s release, the 360 has outsold it's Madden 10 counterpart at 27 weeks by over 100k units, if I had the time I'd look at what each platform sold on Madden 10 from week 27 onward vs the differential. That combined with the PS2 falloff not being picked up by other consoles and the cap is much closer than those 2 numbers suggest.

# 377 mestevo @ 02/17/11 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	Ouch ! Unless my math is wrong, which is a distinct possibility, I hated math growing up, sales for Madden 11 are down a whopping 27%. Looking at these numbers, Pasta's article, and considering the hefty price tag of the license, EA may not want to extend the deal when it expires. Pasta's article made it sound like EA only agreed to the extra year because that's the only way the NFL would give them some relief this year.

Numbers aren't off, it's just out of context and wishful thinking. Market is changing and they're not the same period of time. There almost certainly is a decrease YOY, but it's not apples to apples due to the difference in sales figures for the consoles.

Compare your income this year to what you made last year, your income has dropped ~80%! Wow!

# 378 roadman @ 02/17/11 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	I get paid the same amount every two weeks. Madden's sales don't work like that. The closer Madden is to release, the more it sells. Do you really think that Madden 11 will sell two million more new copies ? The numbers don't lie, but you can believe what you want to believe.

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.

# 379 mestevo @ 02/17/11 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquorLogic


	I get paid the same amount every two weeks. Madden's sales don't work like that. The closer Madden is to release, the more it sells. Do you really think that Madden 11 will sell two million more new copies ? The numbers don't lie, but you can believe what you want to believe.

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.

"The numbers dont lie".

# 380 roadman @ 02/17/11 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EddieV


	This is the same guy who's constantly putting down 2k5 and BB. Makes me wonder.

Why are we bringing up other games in this discussion? No need to go there.

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