EA has stolen the crown...of ESPN

[Truth Seeker]

The shockwave continued today...with an announcement, after 2006 at the ending contract time for those who hold the licenses of ESPN game titles...will belong to EA, for the next 15 years.

With a clause in the contract to end in 10 years, with special circumstances.

Visual Concepts has been the target, as well as SEGA, but VC will suffer more from this...for more, read here.

Damn...it is the end game.

 

[Ranger REG]

Am I missing something here? Why the tears?

 

[drothgery]

Am I missing something here? Why the tears?

Because between picking up an exclusive license to the NFL, and the ESPN license, they've badly hurt EA's only real competition in sports games (Sega/Visual Concepts' ESPN-branded games).

 

[mojo1701]

Because between picking up an exclusive license to the NFL, and the ESPN license, they've badly hurt EA's only real competition in sports games (Sega/Visual Concepts' ESPN-branded games).

It's like saying, "microsoft's the only one allowed to make software for the next 15 years."

 

[Ranger REG]

It's like saying, "microsoft's the only one allowed to make software for the next 15 years."

O-kayyy.

But do they make those dreadful MMORPG?

 

[Steel_Wind]

It is a licensing deal by EA that ought to attract some anti-trust review.

This was a mean-spirited purchase and not in the interest of the public. The fact that ESPN titles were being aggressively priced as budget titles and threatening EA's cash cows is what this was all about.

An odious deal, all around.