EA Sports has a monopoly on NFL

[Ryanwb]

Does Ben and Jerry's have a monopoly on making "Chunky Monkey" ice cream?

No they have a copywrite on the Chunky Monkey name. Safeway can put out an imitation with the same ingredients but they just have to call it something else. Ben and Jerry's didn't call Panama and make a deal where they can only sell bananas to them

 

[ASUCHRIS]

It's a partnership--an exclusive partnership. Yeah, no one is going to want to buy another football game because EA made a great business move to make their game better than anyone else's. They ponied up the money that Sega didn't. Boo-friggin-hoo. Sega can still make football games, they just can't use NFL players ---those aren't public domain, they're essentially a commodity.

When Mars makes M&Ms, does that mean they have a monopoly on candy-coated chocolate? I mean, who would want to buy any other kind of candy-coated chocolate, right? Damn them and their monopoly! I want to make candy-coated chocolate but I can't because they have an unfair advantage--they've made the types of shrewed business moves to make their candy-coated chocolates the best on the market!

What about Visa (the exclusive card of the NFL). Do they have a monopoly because they have an exclusive partnership with the NFL? I mean, it's not like MasterCard can partner with them until that contract is up, right?

EA made a deal--and one that will position them in front of thier competitors for the next five years. But, they do NOT have a monopoly.

EA made their game better by taking away from another company, not through improvments of their own. Your m&m's analogy is completely inane, and I don't even know where to begin there. EA made a deal to eliminate their competitors, if you don't recognize that, than there is no real point to continue the conversation. There seems to be a clear course of action here; Sega and ESPN introduce a game that not only competes with Madden, but supercedes it in the eyes of many. They also make a game that costs less than half of what Madden costs, and EA gets nervous. They make their power play, and eliminate the competition. Clue me in on where I am wrong here...

 

[vince56]

Sega and ESPN introduce a game that not only competes with Madden, but supercedes it in the eyes of many. They also make a game that costs less than half of what Madden costs, and EA gets nervous.

Dead on. Not just that, have you guys played the ESPN NBA game? I'm a long-time player of EA's game, and the ESPN game blew that one out of the water too.

There will be a lawsuit by Sega on this matter. They will definitely sue. This almost sounds like an anti-trust violation, and Sega will jump all over this.

 

[HeavyB3]

This is not a monopoly. This is no different than Gatoraid having exclusive rights for players, or rebok for replica jerseys.

As I said before Sega can still make football games if they want to, but they wouldn't be able to use any NFL stuff in the games.

Does Sirius have a monopoly because they are the official Satelite Radio provider of the NFL? No.

Does Coke have a monopoly because they are the exclusive drink provider for Mcdonalds? No.

Sega will just have to find other markets. They said themselves that they didn't make money off of the NFL title this year. I'm sure that pissed off the NFL. Why stick your name to products that don't make you money?

 

[HeavyB3]

Dead on. Not just that, have you guys played the ESPN NBA game? I'm a long-time player of EA's game, and the ESPN game blew that one out of the water too.

There will be a lawsuit by Sega on this matter. They will definitely sue. This almost sounds like an anti-trust violation, and Sega will jump all over this.

If they take it to court they lose. Exclusive rights deals are ok. It doesn't prevent Sega from making video games in general, just for one specific league.

Poweraid can't sue Gatoraid because they have an exclusive rights deal.

 

[kerouac9]

You would play a game like that? Where the names of the players are their numbers?

QB-12 hands off to RB-22

It will be like 1992 all over again

Have you ever played the NCAA football games? This is exactly what it is. Same thing with the "historic" teams in the Madden series (retired players don't get money for their old likenesses or anything, so they just wear numbers).

I'm not happy about having to only by Reebok hats and jerseys (the coolest hat ever was the all-red New Era Falcons fitted cap), but dems the breaks when you're the most successful league in North America.

 

[CQ]

Gatoraid

I'm so sorry to run off topic here, but this one was just bugging me sweetie!

Gatorade not Gatoraid
Kool-aid is the one with the "aid".

 

[schel]

Have you ever played the NCAA football games? This is exactly what it is. Same thing with the "historic" teams in the Madden series (retired players don't get money for their old likenesses or anything, so they just wear numbers).

I'm not happy about having to only by Reebok hats and jerseys (the coolest hat ever was the all-red New Era Falcons fitted cap), but dems the breaks when you're the most successful league in North America.

Yes, that's true but they get to use logos, school names, and stadiums. Sega has to remove all of that. How many kids are going to be thrilled to play with the New England Colonials?

Any game that decides to make a college football game cannot use real player names. All of them are forced to do this by the NCAA. There's equal footing for all the companies who want to make an NCAA game. There's a difference (which is why I think Sega is now going to have to make a college football game).

When a casual gamer walks into a store, they're going to buy the game with the NFL logo on it, rather than the generic looking one... so it sucks for us that other companies can't even generate the revenue to compete with EA.

Again, legally there's nothing wrong with what EA did, but it's a crappy move for the consumer as they don't benefit from this in any way.

But what can you do... businesses for the most part don't care about "fair" competition. Harming your competitors is as good as an option as actually improving your product. This is why I don't run a business, I would fail miserably.

 

[schel]

I'm so sorry to run off topic here, but this one was just bugging me sweetie!

Gatorade not Gatoraid
Kool-aid is the one with the "aid".

 

[Pariah]

Clue me in on where I am wrong here...

I guess I won't be able to, Chris. Maybe you should write a letter or something. Have fun lobbying for Sega. It'll be an uphill battle--I'll bet you a dollar that Sega never bring up the word "monopoly" in connection with this agreement.

 

[Ryanwb]

I'll bet you a dollar that Sega never bring up the word "monopoly" in connection with this agreement.

Yeah, cause they don't want to get sued by those crazy Parker Brothers.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I guess I won't be able to, Chris. Maybe you should write a letter or something. Have fun lobbying for Sega. It'll be an uphill battle--I'll bet you a dollar that Sega never bring up the word "monopoly" in connection with this agreement.

Yeah, I am more pissed than anything, because I have always disliked the Madden series, and have always loved the Sega sports engine. Legal or not, I still think it's really lame.

 

[Assface]

I love the Madden games and I'm not interesting in buying other titles but I don't like this. Without having to compete with anyone there's not much incentive to keep improving.

 

[HeavyB3]

They will keep making madden better. Trust me. It's in their best interest, because if they put out a poor product the NFL will yank their license.

 

[kerouac9]

They will keep making madden better. Trust me. It's in their best interest, because if they put out a poor product the NFL will yank their license.

Tell that to Reebok. Their jersey redesigns are way cool, but the hats they've been putting out blow year in and year out. Why they can't come up with a decent fitted cap is beyond my ken. I'm still wearing my five-year-old Nike number.

 

[schel]

They will keep making madden better. Trust me. It's in their best interest, because if they put out a poor product the NFL will yank their license.

I doubt the NFL would yank anything when they're receiving $300-500 million from this deal...

And don't forget, it was the NFL that was taking offers for an exclusive deal in the first place. I hate the NFL for doing that. It looks like even Take Two was involved, but now I have to put the blame mostly on the NFL.

http://money.cnn.com/2004/12/14/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/?cnn=yes

This sucks any way you look at it. EA has to find some way to cover these expenses. The first step will be to require us to pay to play online. EA even set that up with the whole "premuim pass" thing for Madden 2005. Expect it to be required in 2006. I also wouldn't be surprised if the overall price of the game goes up as well.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Wedbush Morgan Securities' Pachter agreed.

"It was flat out predatory licensing. [EA is] trying to put other people out of business. No matter what, the consumer has fewer choices and no matter what, they're paying more. There is no $20 option. It goes to $50 next year and stays there. I think consumers lose."


ugh, so annoying.

 

[bratwurst]

I just wish they would release NCAA football for PC.

 

[Ryanwb]

Sega should just be jackasses about it....

Make the Arizona Red Birds with Josh McTown as the QB, Marcell Boat the running back, Antwan Boldin, Eddie Jones the TE, Calvin Brace at DE, etc....

I'd buy that

 

[bratwurst]

Ryan I thought you just bought the backyard football games each year.

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[thirty-two]

Sega should just be jackasses about it....

Make the Arizona Red Birds with Josh McTown as the QB, Marcell Boat the running back, Antwan Boldin, Eddie Jones the TE, Calvin Brace at DE, etc....

I'd buy that

Bret Farvra... Packers QB

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

This board is pretty hilarious after a Cards loss. From Josh McCown to video game licensing rights, nobody gets along.

Remember, Baseball Stars had fake names and teams and that game was arguably the best baseball NES game of it's generation, so all is not lost.

 

[Ryanwb]

Ryan I thought you just bought the backyard football games each year.

LOL! I would but they wouldn't sell them to me anymore without a child present

 

[Assface]

Sega should just be jackasses about it....

Make the Arizona Red Birds with Josh McTown as the QB, Marcell Boat the running back, Antwan Boldin, Eddie Jones the TE, Calvin Brace at DE, etc....

I'd buy that

Except it would be Josh McNown.

 

[schel]

This is a good idea! We could create rosters and submit it to Sega. Larry Fitzpatrick, Josh Scooby, John Navarro...

keep them coming