18-01-2005 06:03									#1
	EA/ESPN deal Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

Bye bye Sega, hello EA... According to Gamespot :

quote: Electronic Arts broke the calm of a national holiday today by announcing a licensing deal of epic proportions. For the next fifteen years, EA will be the sole licensee of the ESPN brand in the area of sports games, which will include console, handheld, PC, and wireless games. Games with leverage the ESPN brand will make their way to retail sometime during calendar year 2006, "upon the conclusion of ESPN’s existing video game licensing commitments." The news is the second blow to current license-holder Sega (and its Visual Concepts development studio). It recently lost the right to publish sports games using the NFL license when EA scooped that license up. Now, it loses the right to the ESPN brand as well. In a statement released just minutes ago, the world's largest game publisher said, "The relationship will include established EA SPORTS franchises--which will be enhanced by ESPN telecast, print and online content--as well as new sports games to be published by EA based on ESPN media properties." The agreement is for fifteen years "with an option to terminate after ten years under certain conditions," the statement said. The agreement gives the publisher "exclusive first rights" to all ESPN content for simulation sports games.

Somebody must stop them...

	18-01-2005 06:12									#2
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No one can stop... the corporate machine!

	18-01-2005 07:03									#3
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I have a friend who's gonna go ballistic.

EA must be stopped!

	18-01-2005 07:42									#4
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So dont buy EA sports games and tell everyone you know to do the same. God knows theres better alternatives.

	18-01-2005 07:46									#5
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There's Sega's ESPN series, but now they're as good as dead...

	18-01-2005 08:23									#6
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and I like EA games but could someone tell me why EA is a bad thing?

	18-01-2005 08:32									#7
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For the same reason Microsoft is evil.

It's teh popular thing to do!!

	18-01-2005 08:36									#8
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oh..ok..money is evil and i reckon if all boycotted then some poor sum-a-gun would be out a job

the american way,eh?

I was just trying to see if it was founded or this bandwagon,barnyard tripe

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	18-01-2005 09:01									#9
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EA
MS

	18-01-2005 09:21									#10
	Tired of ads?

Other EA games are fine like Sim City 4 but they push it too far with their sports games, team updates and new celebrity music somehow qualifies as a new game every year?

As said in another thread, respect is everything and EA Sports havent had any for 10 years.

	18-01-2005 09:31									#11
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quote: and I like EA games but could someone tell me why EA is a bad thing?

Its not a bad thing per se. But they're killing the competition with their monopolisitic moves, and in some cases the competition is simply making better games (Sega's ESPN hockey, for example.) What next? Pro Evo Soccer?

	18-01-2005 11:08									#12
	Tired of ads?

Well SEGA may quickly be getting out of the football business.

	18-01-2005 21:04									#13
	Suffering from ads?

quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui Well SEGA may quickly be getting out of the football business.

I doubt it, they've invested a lot into it and they have a great football engine. They'll probably just use college football, or maybe make up their own league. They'll still find a market.

I don't care about the real teams at all, I just like a good game. I'd buy a game with fake rosters and teams.

Their sales wouldn't be nearly as good as before, but I think they can still make some money.

Their NHL game, thank God, is still in good hands so far. I'm glad they got rid of ESPN for that, the ESPN hockey announcers are totally annoying.

They should license CBC for NHL 2K6.

	18-01-2005 21:07									#14
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quote: Originally posted by Grandpa Troll and I like EA games but could someone tell me why EA is a bad thing?

Because Sega's games are considered better by some. Sega was making huge headway in the past years, and Madden was EA's cash cow. They couldn't compete on a game design standpoint, so they've resorted to revoking the two main pillars Sega had: NFL license and ESPN license.

I like to see games compete based on their merits. EA Sports games are decent, but Sega's NFL game (and NHL game) are substantially better.

	18-01-2005 21:55									#15
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Opinions are duly noted, Thanks all

Grandpa "Now enlightened" Troll

	19-01-2005 00:50									#16
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As I said in the last EA thread, there's always the old change a few letters trick.

Should be a fun one for the lawyers.

	19-01-2005 01:52									#17
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Does this mean EA will be releasing two versions of sports games? One for ESPN and one for EA Sports?!?!

	19-01-2005 02:14									#18
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quote: I doubt it, they've invested a lot into it and they have a great football engine. They'll probably just use college football, or maybe make up their own league. They'll still find a market.

Hope so, but they may decide to cut their losses. A college game could work if they decide to go that route.

Making up their own league may not be a good option. Games with real players sell better than those without.

quote: They couldn't compete on a game design standpoint

Not really true. The reviews for Madden were very high. But they were not as high as SEGA's game. They definetly could compete, but they decided that they'd rather not.

quote: Does this mean EA will be releasing two versions of sports games? One for ESPN and one for EA Sports?!?!

No Sava. Just one, using ESPN/ABC stuff.

	19-01-2005 02:14									#19
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No, it means Madden as a trademark is gone (rumoured a while ago), and you'll get ESPN Football 2006 or something instead.

	19-01-2005 02:16									#20
	Got spare money?

Actually I think they may do Madden for a few more years. After all, ABC owns ESPN and Madden works for ABC. It would make little sense to get rid of the most popular trademark in video game football.

	19-01-2005 02:19									#21
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quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui Not really true. The reviews for Madden were very high. But they were not as high as SEGA's game. They definetly could compete, but they decided that they'd rather not.

The reviews continued to trend towards Sega, though. There was a growing shift in both game reviewers and the game-buying public towards Sega's games.

Rather than compete, they bought out all the licenses.

Reminds me of a sore loser in school. So used to being #1, that when someone else looks to be coming to take his place, his takes his ball and goes home...

	19-01-2005 02:21									#22
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quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui Actually I think they may do Madden for a few more years. After all, ABC owns ESPN and Madden works for ABC. It would make little sense to get rid of the most popular trademark in video game football.

Madden was the worst part of the game. He's one of the most annoyingly stupid commentators I've ever heard.

Why would EA spend a fortune on an ESPN license now and not use it? They pay for every year they have it.

	19-01-2005 02:25									#23
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quote: Originally posted by Asher Madden was the worst part of the game. He's one of the most annoyingly stupid commentators I've ever heard. Why would EA spend a fortune on an ESPN license now and not use it? They pay for every year they have it.

Um, it doesn't matter if you think he's stupid, 'Madden' is well known as a trademark. And what makes you think they won't use ESPN? They can have Berman do the pre-game. Have some SportsCenter stuff. They aren't going to put Theismann, Maguire, and Patrick in the booth, who a lot of football fans think is worse than Madden and Michaels.

And they can easily call it Madden ESPN Football '96 or whatever. But they aren't going to get rid of the Madden name. It's the most famous in video game football... but a long shot.

	19-01-2005 02:29									#24
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quote: The reviews continued to trend towards Sega, though. There was a growing shift in both game reviewers and the game-buying public towards Sega's games.

Yes, but that may not have meant too much . In Soccer, for example, EA's FIFA series has been considered inferior to Konami's Pro-Evolution Soccer, but which one leads in sales? That's right, FIFA.

And the difference between Madden and ESPN was slighter than that. I would have been VERY curious to see what ESPN's numbers would have been next year with an NFL sanctioned game at a $50 price point, but now we won't know.

	19-01-2005 02:32									#25
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quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui And they can easily call it Madden ESPN Football '96 or whatever. But they aren't going to get rid of the Madden name. It's the most famous in video game football... but a long shot.

But it doesn't matter -- it's the only NFL game!

You don't need the Madden brand to stop them from jumping ship to Sega, etc. If you want an NFL game, that's all you got. It wouldnt' be an issue.

	19-01-2005 02:36									#26
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quote: Originally posted by Asher But it doesn't matter -- it's the only NFL game! You don't need the Madden brand to stop them from jumping ship to Sega, etc. If you want an NFL game, that's all you got. It wouldnt' be an issue.

And when there was no competition in the late '90s and early '00s did they get rid of the Madden name? Of course not! Madden is the famous name. It's the name that led EA to the top of the video game football market. Calling it ESPN Football would be silly because that was SEGA's game's name.

There will be a Madden 2006 and probably the Madden name will exist for years after that. The only other option is calling it NFL Football 2006, which I doubt they'll do with the popularity of the Madden name.

	19-01-2005 02:45									#27
	Suffering from ads?

quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui And when there was no competition in the late '90s and early '00s did they get rid of the Madden name?

Because they were using it to establish the market. The market has been established.

quote: Of course not! Madden is the famous name. It's the name that led EA to the top of the video game football market. Calling it ESPN Football would be silly because that was SEGA's game's name.

It's standard though. EA always used names like "2004" while Sega used "2K4". For instance, NHL 2004 versus NHL 2K4...

quote: There will be a Madden 2006 and probably the Madden name will exist for years after that. The only other option is calling it NFL Football 2006, which I doubt they'll do with the popularity of the Madden name.

Maybe, but there's been grumblings for a while now that the Madden name is tired and he's past his prime (by far). The #1 complaint I know about the game is Madden's commentary.

It's been rumoured that Madden's contract has been severed, and I honestly don't see EA paying three expensive licenses (NFL, ESPN, and Madden) when having the only NFL game, coupled with the ESPN license, is MORE than enough to dominate the market...

	19-01-2005 03:04									#28
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quote: Because they were using it to establish the market. The market has been established.

No, by then they had the market. There was a period of time when it was Madden or, perhaps, NFL Fever, which was Microsoft's crap version to try to compete with the Madden juggernaut. It never came close to competing with Madden. In the late 90s, they were on top of the game.

quote: Maybe, but there's been grumblings for a while now that the Madden name is tired and he's past his prime (by far).

LOL... the Madden 'name' is tired. Please! It's the most famous name in sports games. By far.

quote: I honestly don't see EA paying three expensive licenses (NFL, ESPN, and Madden) when having the only NFL game, coupled with the ESPN license, is MORE than enough to dominate the market...

So you think people sit on their hands when they 'dominate' the market? The Madden name will sell more titles. Just by the name itself. People know "Madden" much more than any other sports title. It also transcends video games, such as the 'Madden Curse' and it's used as a generic term for video games in general in many groups.

Perhaps you don't see it living above the border, but the term 'Madden' is a cultural phenomenon as well as a sports title.

	20-01-2005 06:02									#29
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quote: Perhaps you don't see it living above the border, but the term 'Madden' is a cultural phenomenon as well as a sports title.

Imran is right about this.

	20-01-2005 07:44									#30
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Btw, interesting new info!

According to the Original X-Box Magazine, it was the NFL which was PUSHING the exclusivity agreement! They told EA that they had many potential customers to buy the exclusive rights. It seems the NFL was really behind having an exclusive video-game designer!