Madden NFL 15 News Post

EA Still Owns the NFL License Exclusively

11:32 AM - June 13, 2014 by RaychelSnr

While there has some some question as to the status of the exclusivity of the Madden license, owing to the fact the last mention of the license by EA only said there were a number of years left on it with no mention of exclusivity. That was never a guarantee that the license wasn't exclusive, as EA hadn't mentioned in official documents that the license was either extended or exclusive since the initial deal -- the news of the prior extension was never fully confirmed by EA.

Expecting a different approach where EA held a pomp and circumstance parade has led to a rash of unfounded rumors that another competitor, namely 2K, was developing a football game. There was even an unfounded expectation that 2K might even debut a football title at E3.

However, the biggest news to come out of the 2K camp at E3 might have been Ronnie2K confirming that not only was 2K not working on a football game, but that the license was still exclusively owned by 'someone else.'

This isn't surprising, considering the NFL license being open for other partners would have almost certainly leaked by now by someone. The current deal's term length which has been widely speculated and rumored is that Madden still has two to three years in its current deal, pushing the game well into this new generation.

It still remains unlikely, even if the license was open, that a competitor could rise up to compete with Madden in any reasonable amount of time given the more advanced needs of today's sports gaming audience. Thus, given the license's current status, it is possible that any possible competitor wouldn't be ready for release for at least 18-24 months after the license was actually acquired by someone, which puts the most reasonable timeframe for a Madden competitor at least four to five years from now, if ever. The most likely scenario remains that EA and Madden will remain the only major NFL gaming option on big box consoles for the foreseeable future.

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Member Comments

# 101 Cableguyiiixii @ 06/13/14 07:16 PM

I want to punch them all in the face for bringing up the idea of exclusivity. Screw off EA. You haven't seen my money since 2006!

# 102 Jermaine76 @ 06/13/14 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakeness23


	Why doesn't someone like 2K or SCEA, or SOMEBODY, make a generic game? Give us the gameplay, with some fictional teams, and give us really in-depth create-a-team/create-a-player modes? Then we could create the NFL, the NCAA, whatever, and they save money by not having to pay for a license. I mean, is it just me, or would that not be the simplest thing to do?

A generic game won't sell to the majority. The die-hard sim football fans will purchase the came but that isn't enough. 2K is in the business of making money. They tried this already for APF2K8 and look what happened. Two updates for Xbox and only one for PS3 and that was it. A pile of cow dookie with Madden and NFL's name on it will outsell a generic masterpiece. Thats just the why it is. The average/****** football gamer is only concerned withThe Shield...NFL logo.

# 103 Jermaine76 @ 06/13/14 07:36 PM

I feel that some of you all just need to go back to playing APF2K8. Its still playable online, but with no lobbies. Just stick to core group of guys and keep playing against them. A select few of us are hexing teams to replicate the NFL as best as we can. I have a website that has 50+ teams that are playable online. I go in and reprogram the generic players into different postions, change throwing motions, play-action motions, running animations, etc. The site is www.destroapf2k8rosters.webstarts.com. Look me up on Xbox Live as DarkLord Destro. The dudes I roll with are always looking for new straight-up/sim ballers who are about real football. EA can have the license...I'm not tripping on it. I'll keep creating NFL-like teams and play them online for APF.

# 104 Jermaine76 @ 06/13/14 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MossMan84


	Still this doesnt stop someone from making a generic game now and building on it until they can get a share of the license! Maybe if 2k wouldve put out a game every 2-3yrs or so it would be amazing by now and giving madden a run for its money! This just baffles me to death. You cant tell me there isnt a market for another football game even if its not licensed! 90% of every comment I ever read about madden from every website, gamesites, facebook, youtube, ect. is a negative-bashing comment, so another game would sell maybe not as much as madden but enough to turn a profit. Wish I could win the powerball because I would fund the game and you all would be on my development team.

If 2K wanted to put out another generic game, they need to aggressively market the game to death. They did a horrible job marketing APF2K8. Just go on YouTube and look at the press conference they had with Jerry Rice. It looked like they rented out a small conference room at the local Comfort Inn and had FedEx Office design the wallpaper in the background. Just stick to a handful of legends..not a lot so you don't have to pay a lot of players to use their likenesses. Use that money on marketing and continuously say "the makers of NBA2K series...etc, etc." Make the game fully customizable like the creators of Backbreaker did...either via the Xbox or a disc that would word for a PC to customize it.

# 105 Jermaine76 @ 06/13/14 07:53 PM

Also, check out the Facebook page called Lord Destro's All-Pro Football 2K8 Rosters. Most of us love APF2K8, so just brush the dust off of it and lets play. If you need to buy it again, Ebay has auctions on them as low as 89 cents. The hell with the NFL license...we'll do our own thing.

# 106 BigDaddyHolmes @ 06/13/14 08:10 PM

I just wish 2k could get a NFL license for pc at least, since nobody makes a game for pc. If EA has a exclusive locked up for that too, and doesn't even use it, that is just wrong. It shows they are scared IMO

# 107 Jermaine76 @ 06/13/14 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FaceMask


	Yeah, that was brutal. But they had a very small budget to work with. The problem is, they put so much of it towards signing legends that they had practically nothing to throw elsewhere.

I know. I'm a distant relative of Chuck Foreman and his brother told me he was paid $50 grand to be in the game. I heard O.J. got $150 grand.

# 108 Robo COP @ 06/13/14 08:32 PM

Lol. "Scared" doesn't really apply when it comes to business. While they are making a football game, the business world doesn't run off of football rules, so them "being scared" doesn't mean jack. In fact, strategically speaking, they did exactly what they needed to do to protect their investment. Obviously they were feeling the heat from 2K, especially when they released NFL 2K5 for only $20. Why wouldn't they lock up the licenses agreement? It only makes sense from their perspective.

Also, from what I recall I think the NFL was actually the one shopping the agreement around so it was either they pay up for it or they lose the madden franchise entirely. While the exclusive deal is what is causing the debacle that is now NFL games, there is no way you can blame EA for doing what they did. Any sane person would have done it in the same situation

# 109 spankdatazz22 @ 06/13/14 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robo COP


	Also, from what I recall I think the NFL was actually the one shopping the agreement around so it was either they pay up for it or they lose the madden franchise entirely. While the exclusive deal is what is causing the debacle that is now NFL games, there is no way you can blame EA for doing what they did. Any sane person would have done it in the same situation

People forget that it wasn't just the NFL that went exclusive that week. I forget what the time frame was, but within a couple weeks the NFL, NCAA, and Arena League all went exclusive. And all the licenses went to EA. There's no way it was all coincidence. I'd go so far to say it was a concerted effort by EA Sports to lock up as many properties as they could before 2K or Sony could react. Let's not forget how close the NBA was to signing an exclusive agreement during that time frame. Fortunately David Stern (if I recall correctly) was having none of that. 2K takes a consolation prize with partial exclusivity for MLB baseball which kills EA's MVP Baseball and the rest is history.

Yes the NFL deserves blame, but there's no way anyone can say EA wasn't complicit in trying to eliminate any competition it had. There's no way all those exclusive licenses signed within a relatively short time frame within each other and was just a coincidence.

So it's not a stretch to say EA was scared.

# 110 hanzsomehanz @ 06/13/14 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GiantBlue76


	Rex's challenge aside, he has passion and I believe he genuinely does care about this product. However, one of the main differences between him and someone like Jobs (other than the obvious) is that Jobs had some of the smartest, most talented developers working for him. Tiburon does not... When I say developer, I mean the actual PROGRAMMER writing the code. That's where it all goes bad for these guys. Rex can have some of the best ideas in the world. Without the programmers to build it, no one will ever know.

EA being the wealthiest sports video game developing company lacks talent in the programming depatment?

How do you find the facts to back this up so we can avoid making a bias objective out of this argument? Is it they cannot afford the best or cannot recruit the best? Or they simply want subpar programmers?

For so long people continue to blame subpar results on lack of competence - smh: this is the game developed because this is the funned up, simpler, quicker game the suits above Rex want to develop and deliver.

Imagine though what Madden would be like if Jobs manned the ship at Tiburon: he would jump ship if he did not get his way to make this product the best dammned sports video game product American Football enthusiasts could have ever imagined.

It is easy to point to talent after one's success comes to fruition but Microsoft was always Jobs competition to the Mac: consider the story of the group he started with and you will get a brighter perspective of what actually drove the results.

It is not much different now or then between EA and TakeTwo than it was now and then betwen Gates and Jobs or M v M.

Jobs was a leader that could drive success out of you when you could not see the potential yourself.

EA CAN certainly drive better results than they currently are with the current team: at a faster pace and at a higher rate of performance.

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

# 111 Robo COP @ 06/13/14 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spankdatazz22


	People forget that it wasn't just the NFL that went exclusive that week. I forget what the time frame was, but within a couple weeks the NFL, NCAA, and Arena League all went exclusive. And all the licenses went to EA. There's no way it was all coincidence. I'd go so far to say it was a concerted effort by EA Sports to lock up as many properties as they could before 2K or Sony could react. Let's not forget how close the NBA was to signing an exclusive agreement during that time frame. Fortunately David Stern (if I recall correctly) was having none of that. 2K takes a consolation prize with partial exclusivity for MLB baseball which kills EA's MVP Baseball and the rest is history. Yes the NFL deserves blame, but there's no way anyone can say EA wasn't complicit in trying to eliminate any competition it had. There's no way all those exclusive licenses signed within a relatively short time frame within each other and was just a coincidence. So it's not a stretch to say EA was scared.

What I'm saying is it's not a matter of if they were "scared." At all. Nobody gives a damn, especially not them. Because they are at the top of the game right now. This is how the free market in America works currently. They saw a way to eliminate their competition and did it. It was a great decision on their part really.

I understand the whole being mad about how it panned out and there being no competition to push the games forward, I hate that too. But let's be realistic and stop trying to villainize EA for doing what made the most sense and benefited their company. We all would have done the same thing had we been put into that position

# 112 Crimsontide27 @ 06/13/14 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BizDevConglomerate


	They made adjustments from what the community asked about, from their forums, not OS forums. You should blame 2k for not putting up that money, or taking the rush to make a college game, give the people what they want Serious! Look at all the college basketball that we've missed in the last 4 years. Look at all the good football we've missed

Some key points you are wrong about. EA bought the rights to keep NCAA football exclusive as well, so 2k couldn't have made a college football game if they had wanted to.

The NCAA decided that it wanted too much money up front for the college basketball titles. While there was never an exclusive agreement signed for NCAA basketball by either party, the cost was so high that it would not justify any game company wasting resources due to the low sales volume that both the EA and 2Ks had.

The NCAA killed any future basketball titles itself, well before the court case had anything to do with college athletics.

# 113 kehlis @ 06/13/14 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RUFFNREADY


	Why doesn't someone, who is super wealthy, just jump on board with 2K, and purchase the rights from the NFL, and make the DAMN game already? Rich people do play videogames too...(maybe) You look at rich people around the world, throwing away money like a Kleenex, everyday ie. Big parties, a dozen fancy cars; 3 or more Mistress'; failing Major League franchises; Crappy restaurant chains! Why can't they give Us something that resembles the NFL? (my plea) lol Well, madden it is. cheers

Lol, if only it were that easy...

# 114 SageInfinite @ 06/13/14 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robo COP


	I understand the whole being mad about how it panned out and there being no competition to push the games forward, I hate that too. But let's be realistic and stop trying to villainize EA for doing what made the most sense and benefited their company. We all would have done the same thing had we been put into that position

Not really. Everyone isn't motivated by pure greed. Business is business so I understand the move, but as a gamer/consumer it's trash. If they gave us the best product they could after the fact, it'd be a totally different story. They made themselves the villain.

# 115 Robo COP @ 06/14/14 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SageInfinite


	Not really. Everyone isn't motivated by pure greed. Business is business so I understand the move, but as a gamer/consumer it's trash. If they gave us the best product they could after the fact, it'd be a totally different story. They made themselves the villain.

......So if you were the owner of said business and you had a means to ensure your product remained profitable by limiting the competition you wouldn't do it? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

And I already acknowledged that deal sucked for us as a consumer. I hate the Madden series now. I merely said that if anyone else; me, you, Santa Claus, anyone! was put in the same situation as EA of course they would have made the same decision. Obviously the development team has not done a good job, but EA made the correct decision and anyone who wouldn't have bought out the licensing like EA did has no business sense whatsoever.

It's hysterical to me that you guys are throwing around that EA was "scared" of 2Ks advancement. Of course they were concerned about it! Just like 2K was "scared" that madden was going to cut into their profits. And "scared" that they would buy out the rights

It's just funny how you guys are trying to use the word "scared" as somehow another way to bash EA. Like "Oh man! They were so scared! Big old EA was so afraid! Wet their pants and bought out the licensing! LOLOLOLOLOL" Just stop...please....stop...You sound absolutely ridiculous

# 116 ForUntoOblivionSoar∞ @ 06/14/14 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMChrisS


	While there has some some question as to the status of the exclusivity of the Madden license, owing to the fact the last mention of the license by EA only said there were a number of years left on it with no mention of exclusivity. That was never a guarantee that the license wasn't exclusive, as EA hadn't mentioned in official documents that the license was either extended or exclusive since the initial deal -- the news of the prior extension was never fully confirmed by EA. Expecting a different approach where EA held a pomp and circumstance parade has led to a rash of unfounded rumors that another competitor, namely 2K, was developing a football game. There was even an unfounded expectation that 2K might even debut a football title at E3. However, the biggest news to come out of the 2K camp at E3 might have been Ronnie2K confirming that not only was 2K not working on a football game, but that the license was still exclusively owned by 'someone else.' This isn't surprising, considering the NFL license being open for other partners would have almost certainly leaked by now by someone. The current deal's term length which has been widely speculated and rumored is that Madden still has two to three years in its current deal, pushing the game well into this new generation. It still remains unlikely, even if the license was open, that a competitor could rise up to compete with Madden in any reasonable amount of time given the more advanced needs of today's sports gaming audience. Thus, given the license's current status, it is possible that any possible competitor wouldn't be ready for release for at least 18-24 months after the license was actually acquired by someone, which puts the most reasonable timeframe for a Madden competitor at least four to five years from now, if ever. The most likely scenario remains that EA and Madden will remain the only major NFL gaming option on big box consoles for the foreseeable future.

Well, if that's true that kind of makes a certain Madden exec seem a little less than genuine. To be honest it kind of psses me off.

# 117 SageInfinite @ 06/14/14 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robo COP


	......So if you were the owner of said business and you had a means to ensure your product remained profitable by limiting the competition you wouldn't do it? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

I would do everything in my power to make sure we had the superior product. My money would go into my product not into ensuring a license so the quality of my product suffers as well as my old and new costumers. I'd make my consumers forget the competition through quality, not licensing. If I did somehow eliminate competition through licensing, I damn sure wouldn't have people clamoring for competition back every chance they got because my product was subpar/mediocre.

Everybody doesn't think like that man.

# 118 BayRaider510 @ 06/14/14 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brother3Wright


	If you watch the video, listen to what HHG says before Rex issues the challenge. HHG askes "IF" the license was open, what you would say. He posed it as a hypothetical.

He told 2K to "buy the license" and make a game though. How would they buy the license if it's exclusive?

Just an empty challenge. Don't know how anyone can respect EA Sports, at least the Madden division anyways. This game hasn't been good since 2005 where as MLB The Show and NBA 2K have thrived to make some of the best sports games ever produced over the past several years. Sadly, I'll continue to buy Madden because the NFL and Video Games are two of my biggest passions and need an NFL game to play.

# 119 JaymeeAwesome @ 06/14/14 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bxphenom7


	Good luck posting your improvements as if they'll happen. I'm strong enough to not buy a Madden game even if it means no virtual football. How? I go play real football, or I play better sport sims like MLB The Show and NBA 2k. No competition is bad for games. I'm rooting for NBA Live to be competitive and I hope EA has the balls to put out a baseball game to compete with MLB The Show. Madden-free since Madden 08 and damn proud. How they still don't have stuff in the game NFL 2k5 had on PS2/Xbox, I don't know, but I, as well as many, have learned not to trust Madden, especially when it has nothing to lose since people keep buying it. If you must buy Madden, buy it used.

I don't think EA could make a baseball game. I believe 2k still owns the 3rd party rights to MLB. Microsoft would have to make it.

# 120 JaymeeAwesome @ 06/14/14 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SageInfinite


	I would do everything in my power to make sure we had the superior product. My money would go into my product not into ensuring a license so the quality of my product suffers as well as my old and new costumers. I'd make my consumers forget the competition through quality, not licensing. If I did somehow eliminate competition through licensing, I damn sure wouldn't have people clamoring for competition back every chance they got because my product was subpar/mediocre. Everybody doesn't think like that man.

I would have to say you wouldn't make a good business man. Shareholders and members of the board care about one thing...$$$$$. If they heard that you had an opportunity to wipe out the competition and increase your margins, and you told them "I'll just make a better product", you would be fired immediately.

All your responses are consumer minded. Brand recognition and marketing are what's keeping EA profitable, and that's all the Execs want. Money.

...and as a side note, have you not seen what M15 looks like. For the third game, in a stated 3 year cycle, it has improved. As long as they don't rip and replace next year, the future looks a little brighter.

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