Topic: John Madden Retires, Madden Games Unaffected

[NWR_Lindy]

The football legend puts down the headset for good, but his seminal game franchise lives on.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=18230

 Football icon John Madden retired yesterday, leaving the broadcast booth after 30 years.  Following his 1979 retirement as coach of the Oakland Raiders, he joined CBS and had been commentating for various networks ever since.    

Even though Madden will no longer be working live games, his voice will surely live on in the form of EA's Madden NFL game franchise.  In its 21st year, the franchise is the best-selling sports video game of all time and has become a cultural icon much like the broadcaster himself.  Speaking to Gamasutra, EA representative David Tinson assured gamers that EA has a "long-term contract with John Madden" that "will continue into the future."    

The first Madden football game was John Madden Football, released in 1988 for the Commodore 64 and Apple II.  The series has sold over 70 million copies and generated $2 billion for Electronic Arts in the years since, selling 5.25 million copies across all platforms in 2008.

[TJ Spyke]

His role in the series is minimal now anyways. In Madden NFL 09 he only provided his voice for the Madden IQ mode and a brief update at halftime, he did not actually provide commentary for the games themselves in 09.

[ShyGuy]

I'm suprised that EA hasn't begun phasing the name Madden out of the game name slowly. Call it Madden NFL and keep making the name Madden smaller and smaller on the box each year.

[NWR_Lindy]

Are you kidding?  Madden is the biggest brand in sports video games.  Phasing out his name would be like Nintendo phasing out Mario.

[TJ Spyke]

Exactly. Casual gamers (yes you are are a casual gamer if the only games you really play are sports games) don't say they want the new EA football game or new NFL game, they say they want the new Madden. To them the game is Madden and EA would be idiots to drop the name.

[ShyGuy]

They're gonna get Nortoned.

[AV]

he is to old to sit, talk and watch football ?

[Ian Sane]

Normally I would agree that dropping the Madden name wouldn't be a good move.  But remember that EA's situation is very exceptional: they have EXCLUSIVE rights to the NFL.  So if they changed the name to just NFL Football (and thus no longer have to pay John Madden any rights for his likeness) where else are people going to go?  There is no other option.  Anyone who wants to play an NFL game will get EA's regardless of whether or not Madden's name is on it.

I think when there was competition the Madden brand name was a draw.  But now I'd say the draw is the NFL itself.  If you want to play a football game with the real teams and the real players you have to get EA's game or you're out of luck.  And in the future the NFL may not even continue to use EA.  Once the contract is up they may find a new publisher and then EA is shittered no matter what.  I think overall the NFL licence is going to decide the market leader for football games as long as they insist on making their licence exclusive.

[Plugabugz]

Normally I would agree that dropping the Madden name wouldn't be a good move.  But remember that EA's situation is very exceptional: they have EXCLUSIVE rights to the NFL.  So if they changed the name to just NFL Football (and thus no longer have to pay John Madden any rights for his likeness) where else are people going to go?  There is no other option.  Anyone who wants to play an NFL game will get EA's regardless of whether or not Madden's name is on it.

I think when there was competition the Madden brand name was a draw.  But now I'd say the draw is the NFL itself.  If you want to play a football game with the real teams and the real players you have to get EA's game or you're out of luck.  And in the future the NFL may not even continue to use EA.  Once the contract is up they may find a new publisher and then EA is shittered no matter what.  I think overall the NFL licence is going to decide the market leader for football games as long as they insist on making their licence exclusive.

Essentially a NFL Football game without Madden is its european counterpart: Pro Evolution.

[vudu]

Ian, you are a bit short-sighted there.  When it comes time to renew the rights to the NFL license it's not certain that EA will once again have exclusivity, but I can all but guarantee that they won't lose it completely.  If/when others publishers are free to develop their own NFL games the Madden name will hold some serious weight with many consumers.  EA's not going to risk losing that.

[TJ Spyke]

he is to old to sit, talk and watch football ?

I think it has more to do with the traveling. He's 73, i'm sure he would rather stay at home with his children and grandchildren than traveling all over the country every week to call NFL games.

I don't think EA will drop the Madden  name anytime soon (at least while he is alive, and even after that they may continue). It gives them a lot more weight. As vudu said, it may give them an advantage when their current contract with the NFL expires. Even if EA doesn't keep the exclusive NFL license, they may still be one of the licensees.

[Ian Sane]

Ian, you are a bit short-sighted there.  When it comes time to renew the rights to the NFL license it's not certain that EA will once again have exclusivity, but I can all but guarantee that they won't lose it completely.  If/when others publishers are free to develop their own NFL games the Madden name will hold some serious weight with many consumers.  EA's not going to risk losing that.

True.  I'm assuming the NFL will wish to remain having only one publisher making NFL videogames.  It fits the "No Fun League" to a tee.  But, yes, if there ever was a situation where there was competition again the Madden name may prove valuable.

[ShyGuy]

Did EA buy ownership of the Madden name like Ubisoft did with Tom Clancy?

[vudu]

Just rented.

[ShyGuy]

Just rented.

Which is why they should phase him out.

[Mop it up]

Does this mean that future games are going to have Madden's name on them and that's it? It seems kind of meaningless to keep the name if the man himself is nowhere to be found/heard.

[AV]

Normally I would agree that dropping the Madden name wouldn't be a good move.  But remember that EA's situation is very exceptional: they have EXCLUSIVE rights to the NFL.  So if they changed the name to just NFL Football (and thus no longer have to pay John Madden any rights for his likeness) where else are people going to go?  There is no other option.  Anyone who wants to play an NFL game will get EA's regardless of whether or not Madden's name is on it.

I think when there was competition the Madden brand name was a draw.  But now I'd say the draw is the NFL itself.  If you want to play a football game with the real teams and the real players you have to get EA's game or you're out of luck.  And in the future the NFL may not even continue to use EA.  Once the contract is up they may find a new publisher and then EA is ****tered no matter what.  I think overall the NFL licence is going to decide the market leader for football games as long as they insist on making their licence exclusive.

I got a great Big name football star they can use instead of madden.

Terry Bradshaw


Bradshaw NFL Football 2011

He was actually a great player back in the day.....And he is a great personality have you seen him on Jay Leno

[nickmitch]

Does this mean that future games are going to have Madden's name on them and that's it? It seems kind of meaningless to keep the name if the man himself is nowhere to be found/heard.

I would the weekly bus rides (he was afraid of flying) for games were one thing, but a once a year trip to record for EA might not be as bad.

[ShyGuy]

Tony Hawk is next.