Post by: Bloodworth on January 17, 2005, 11:03:00 AM
ESPN and EA Sign Agreement for Sports Games; Relationship to Integrate Content and Introduce New Sports Games
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 17, 2005--Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS) and ESPN today announced a long-term agreement for the development and integrated marketing of EA SPORTS games containing ESPN content. 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. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The agreement gives EA access to ESPN programming, personalities and integrated marketing opportunities on ESPN television programming and other ESPN properties. The ESPN integration will appear in EA SPORTS console, handheld, PC and wireless games beginning in 2006 upon the conclusion of ESPN's existing video game licensing commitments.
"EA and ESPN have a shared belief that adding ESPN content will improve an already outstanding line of games," said George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN Inc. and ABC Sports.
"This relationship was created to benefit consumers who are passionate about sports games," said Larry Probst, Electronic Arts Chairman and CEO. "EA SPORTS recreates the real life experience fans enjoy while watching or playing their favorite sport; while ESPN programming captures the look, sound and excitement of the sports they follow. Together, we believe we can significantly grow the interactive sports category."
The agreement is for fifteen years with an option to terminate after ten years under certain conditions and gives EA exclusive first rights to all ESPN content for simulation sports games.
Post by: BiLdItUp1 on January 17, 2005, 11:08:02 AM
but this has to suck for innovation (not to mention competition) in that field. EA sucks more than ever now...they're becoming the Microsoft of videogames.
EDIT:
On the other hand though, this might force publishers to make sports games that are actually fun, so...
Post by: joshnickerson on January 17, 2005, 11:17:24 AM
Post by: Bill Aurion on January 17, 2005, 11:32:16 AM
Post by: Chris1001 on January 17, 2005, 11:34:00 AM
Post by: Ian Sane on January 17, 2005, 11:46:59 AM
It's bad enough they ensured that Sega couldn't use the NFL. It's bad enough they ensured that Sega couldn't use the arena football league as an alternative. But now they're taking away the Sega Sports line's current brand name as well? This is just sick. It's like stabbing someone in the gut, killing the local doctor to prevent them from getting medical attention, and then cutting off their face for a mask so you can impersonate your victim as they slowly bleed to death.
Not only has all the work Sega has done trying to make their ESPN NFL2K a serious competitor been for nothing but now it's been for EA. The lower price helped ESPN NFK2K gain some exposure in the mainstream market. Now EA can reap the benefits of this by releasing their own ESPN NFL game which the mainstream may assume is the next game in the ESPN NFL series. So in other words Sega has kickstarted a new franchise for EA. It's like how Nintendo ended up kickstarting EA's Bond series.
I don't care what bonuses Nintendo puts into to EA's Cube titles, I will not buy any of them. They could put a brand new full length Zelda game in an EA title and I wouldn't buy it.
Post by: Savior on January 17, 2005, 11:52:59 AM
Post by: dafunkk12 on January 17, 2005, 12:37:50 PM
QuoteYou're thinking of Visual Concepts
Originally posted by: Savior
Sega will no doubt sell Viscarious Vissions the Sega Sports makers now...
Post by: thepoga on January 17, 2005, 12:37:57 PM
Post by: Pale on January 17, 2005, 12:50:03 PM
Post by: Savior on January 17, 2005, 12:54:00 PM
your right... I still think they will sell them. Maybe Nintendo buys them.
Post by: nickmitch on January 17, 2005, 12:57:57 PM
Post by: ssj4_android on January 17, 2005, 01:00:30 PM
Post by: Pale on January 17, 2005, 01:08:43 PM
Post by: dafunkk12 on January 17, 2005, 01:16:51 PM
Post by: NWR_Lindy on January 17, 2005, 01:29:18 PM
I wonder what Visual Concepts is working on now? They must be devastated. EA might as well buy them too. It'd be cool if Nintendo bought them though, maybe to make a series of Mario Sports titles. As an aside, if you ever wonder why Nintendo didn't start a Nintendo Sports brand, this is probably it. EA is too strong a competitior...it's easier to work with them than against them.
I have new mottos for EA:
Instead of "Challenge Everything" --> "Buy Everything"
Instead of "It's In The Game" --> "It's in the game, but it doesn't matter if it isn't, because there are no other games LOL"
silks
Post by: Shin Gallon on January 17, 2005, 01:33:37 PM
Post by: Hostile Creation on January 17, 2005, 01:35:43 PM
Post by: Infernal Monkey on January 17, 2005, 02:21:43 PM
Post by: WuTangTurtle on January 17, 2005, 02:51:59 PM
Quote
It's bad enough they ensured that Sega couldn't use the NFL. It's bad enough they ensured that Sega couldn't use the arena football league as an alternative. But now they're taking away the Sega Sports line's current brand name as well? This is just sick. It's like stabbing someone in the gut, killing the local doctor to prevent them from getting medical attention, and then cutting off their face for a mask so you can impersonate your victim as they slowly bleed to death.
Exactly.
I hope EA overspends and their games bomb. What worries me is the length of their contracts. Sports fans won't get a real significant sequel until the contracts expire.
Plz let this be the last EA signing, i don't want EA buying out the peewee football license (15yr contract for a bag of skittles).
Visual Concepts still have the NBA game, hopefully they conentrate on that game and kill the NBA Live series.
Someone really needs to just Kill EA.
Post by: TheYoungerPlumber on January 17, 2005, 03:01:42 PM
Post by: Geos on January 17, 2005, 03:07:18 PM
In any case maybe this will even work out for the best. I see sports games as the main entry for casual gamers and as far as im concerned casual gamers are largely responsible for the negative changes i have been seeing in the game industry. Maybe if EA makes bad enough games casual gamers will stop spending money and stop playing games. Still its to bad that sports games fans will be going through a rough time...
Post by: gally on January 17, 2005, 03:10:47 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Geos
Well I guess i will boycott EA now. Thats not really a big deal however considering i own 17 GC games and none of them were made by EA.
Boycotts are only effective if you refuse to buy something you otherwise would have. Otherwise, nothing changes. If you don't buy something you didn't want anyway, you're not boycotting the company or the product.
The term "boycott" is so overused on the internet; it's like you people want rebellion without sacrifice. You want to rebel against EA for killing the competition, but you're not sacrificing anything since you wouldn't have bought their games anyway. That teaches them nothing.
Post by: Geos on January 17, 2005, 03:15:39 PM
Post by: Djunknown on January 17, 2005, 03:19:00 PM
There's been a rumor that EA's no longer interested in using Madden's likeness anymore. Couple it with this recent news, will we see EA ESPN NFL '06? Its very possible.
15 years? Wow. I guess ESPN really doesn't want to negotiate with anyone else. Even if EA doesn't get exclusivity to various sporting leagues, they'll get the presentation sports gamers are accustomed to. Hell, gamers of today will have kids in the future who'll play with the key words EA ESPN.
Post by: Ian Sane on January 17, 2005, 05:42:41 PM
So what do we do then? Bootleg their games for spite?
A fair bit of people here became interested in NBA Street when Mario was added. How about those people not buy the game? EA's whole plan obviously is to use Nintendo's characters to boost their own sales. We don't have to let them benefit from that. No matter what Nintendo related extras there are don't buy EA's Cube titles. There's a negative side effect that it will hurt Nintendo a bit since EA won't be pleased with poor sales but it will also show that Nintendo fans won't buy something just because Mario is in it. We could tell EA to go f*ck themselves and tell Nintendo to not rely on their franchises so much at the same time.
Plus there are major EA games like the new Timesplitters game coming out that a fair bit of people here are very interested in. Don't buy it. Then you ARE making a sacrifice.
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on January 17, 2005, 06:05:02 PM
Post by: edgeblade69 on January 17, 2005, 06:05:49 PM
Today: ESPN
Tomorrow: The World!
So what's next? EA buys Microsoft? Sony? Nintendo? Sega? Surely EA will get into hardware sooner or later.
Post by: Knoxxville on January 17, 2005, 06:38:32 PM
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/fi/pr/40593.jpg
Seriously though, this is kinda lke how people really can't get into a fist fight anymore....somebody has to get shot or else the one you didn't shoot will hold a grudge and one day come back and shoot you.
Case. In. Point.
P.S. In other news, Resident Evil 4 is too sick to be missed! Use your EA money and GET IT NOW!!
*glances over at Burnout 3*
....I refuse to part with my preciouuuuuuuuuuuusssssssssss............
Post by: Hostile Creation on January 17, 2005, 07:59:26 PM
Post by: oohhboy on January 18, 2005, 03:45:06 AM
Post by: Arbok on January 18, 2005, 06:49:12 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
It's bad enough they ensured that Sega couldn't use the NFL. It's bad enough they ensured that Sega couldn't use the arena football league as an alternative. But now they're taking away the Sega Sports line's current brand name as well? This is just sick. It's like stabbing someone in the gut, killing the local doctor to prevent them from getting medical attention, and then cutting off their face for a mask so you can impersonate your victim as they slowly bleed to death.
That's a signature worthy quote right there, and a pretty good summing up of the current events.
Quote
Originally posted by: oohhboy
I can walk away from TS3.
Sorry but I can't. Timesplitters 2 was one of the better FPS games I have played in some time, and it's the best one on the Gamecube by some yards. I can't wait for the third one, either, as it fills a good void in my Gamecube's collection (now all I need is Fire Emblem to fill that strategy void...).
Post by: KDR_11k on January 18, 2005, 07:35:13 AM
Post by: vudu on January 18, 2005, 07:36:57 AM
QuotePerhaps you should consider Geist instead?
Timesplitters 2 was one of the better FPS games I have played in some time, and it's the best one on the Gamecube by some yards. I can't wait for the third one
Post by: Pale on January 18, 2005, 09:06:37 AM
I guess what I'm getting at is, do we stop buying EA games completely? Or do we try to only buy the games they do right? (if thats possible)
Post by: matt oz on January 18, 2005, 09:32:52 AM
In any case, EA is still claiming that the takeover is/was not hostile, while I was under the impression that buying out a company that doesn't want to be bought out was hostile. Semantics...
Post by: Bloodworth on January 18, 2005, 03:55:50 PM
Post by: Caillan on January 18, 2005, 04:09:46 PM
Quote
Actually, the French government is trying to halt EA's partial acquisition of UbiSoft, last I heard.
The latest rumour is that Ubi Soft's former mobile division, which had split from them, will list itself and sell all it's shares to Ubi Soft for cheap. Then the two companies will merge, leaving Ubi Soft with enough power to veto anything EA puts foward.
I'll be missing TS3 as well.
Post by: foolish03 on January 18, 2005, 05:39:45 PM
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on January 18, 2005, 06:52:58 PM
Post by: Ian Sane on January 18, 2005, 07:18:05 PM
The first Madden game was just called John Madden Football and didn't have an NFL licence. There's nothing stopping them from doing that again it just would likely have a harder time competing in today's market without the NFL.
Post by: KDR_11k on January 19, 2005, 05:44:52 AM
Post by: Bloodworth on January 19, 2005, 06:03:20 AM
On top of that why doesn't someone do a bit of research and tell me the last time a successful boycott was made against a major corporation? It generally takes a legal battle to change anyone's mind. You may be justified in wanting to make a difference, but it's a complete waste of time if you don't have a strategy that works.
A boycott doesn't send a clear message to what you want to change either. I'm not sure how you expect a marketing department to determine that sales are dropping because you don't approve of their business tactics, rather than thinking that people are just losing interest in a series or that they didn't advertise to the right groups.
Post by: Renny on January 19, 2005, 06:16:28 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Bloodworth
Again, the way to change their tactics is to buy however few games they do right. But if they publish something like Timesplitters 3 and none of you buy it, I'll guarantee that it will only give them more incentive to make the next one more "mainstream" to increase sales.
On top of that why doesn't someone do a bit of research and tell me the last time a successful boycott was made against a major corporation? It generally takes a legal battle to change anyone's mind. You may be justified in wanting to make a difference, but it's a complete waste of time if you don't have a strategy that works.
They whore out and destroy franchises whether they're popular or not. Success just encourages behavior like this, and gives them the cash to do it. I've never been a fan of EA, though like a lot of people here I'm interested in a couple of their upcoming games. But at this rate, I couldn't justify buying the next Zelda from them. If they're going to destroy the industry, I at least won't have helped them. That's a personal boycott, and if it doesn't make a difference then I won't worry because I did my part anyway.
One of us needs publish a medical study that says EA-published games give you cancer. That's always reliable.
Post by: Vrgin X1 on January 20, 2005, 09:27:33 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Silks
I have new mottos for EA:
Instead of "Challenge Everything" --> "Buy Everything"
Instead of "It's In The Game" --> "It's in the game, but it doesn't matter if it isn't, because there are no other games LOL"
silks
It's already been done...
http://www.boomspeed.com/vrginx/ea_purchaseeverything.jpg
