EA Tried to get the NBA also

[Thirteen]

Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood
NBA rejects EA's big for exclusivity, plus more dealings behind the scenes in the sports game arena.
 
December 20, 2004 - Last week, Electronic Arts, the NFL, and Players Inc. sent shockwaves throughout the gaming industry as they announced an unprecedented five-year exclusivity partnership. But it looks like Electronic Arts had even bigger plans as they also bid on exclusive arrangements with the NBA. Sources have told me, however, that the NBA has rejected EA's initial offer.


One of the reasons is that the NBA Live series simply doesn't have a stranglehold on the market the way Madden has for years, so by signing an exclusive deal with EA, the NBA would actually be losing money. There are simply too many NBA video game properties that sell big units for the deal to make sense, from the ESPN NBA series to NBA Ballers to 989's games that are set to hit both the PS2 and PSP.

Sources aren't quite as clear in terms of potential dealings with Major League Baseball as a few publishers were worried a deal was already in place for EA to step in and take over like they did with the NFL. But after the EA/NFL deal went down, at least one publisher was able to re-up their MLB contract for three more games, so it looks like a false alarm as the only exclusive EA was able to lockup for the time being was the NFL.

In other EA news, they were able to purchase 20% of Ubisoft on Monday. What does that have to do with sports games, you might ask. Well, Ubisoft is developing the And1 street hoops game to compete with NBA Street V3. Whether or not this puts an end to the game's development, we'll have to wait and see.
-- Jon Robinson

[7even]

Thank God. That wouldve been the death of decent NBA Games. Monopolies are always bad. Trust me. Absolute Monopolies are the capitalistic form of communism.

[M Dogg™]

Plays ESPN 2K5 over NBA Live anytime. Now with Madden it was easy because Madden is by far the best game in the field, but the NBA has seen NBA Jam, ESPN's 2K series, NBA Ballers, and basically way more NBA games. To say the least, it will be hard to take over the NBA market the way they did NFL. I mean people still bought Madden, but I'm sure most people chose 2K5 over Live, even if both were the same price. I know I would. All this means is EA Sports needs to pick up there basketball game, which they should have done instead of trying to buy off the market. No one can top Madden, which is why ESPN sold there games for 19.99, but no one has yet to top ESPN NBA, which is why I don't see EA Sports winning this battle.

[Sikotic™]

If they make a deal with this, I say we go plant a couple bombs in their corporate buildings. VIVA LA REVOLUCIONE!!!!

[M Dogg™]

If they make a deal with this, I say we go plant a couple bombs in their corporate buildings. VIVA LA REVOLUCIONE!!!!

no doubt

[Woodrow]

Thank God. That wouldve been the death of decent NBA Games. Monopolies are always bad. Trust me. Absolute Monopolies are the capitalistic form of communism.

How is this monopoly?

[7even]

Thank God. That wouldve been the death of decent NBA Games. Monopolies are always bad. Trust me. Absolute Monopolies are the capitalistic form of communism.

How is this monopoly?

EA slowly but surely takes over the whole pc-video-game-market .. in this case, if there arent any NBA (or any major sport association for that matter) games out besides the ones by EA, there's no competition anymore and they can sell their games for high prices without putting much effort in them because there are no alternatives around since noone else has the license..

consequence: bad, expensive games without innovation.

[eS El Duque]

Play Now with Madden it was easy because Madden is by far the best game in the field

LMAO..thats why most of the game review sites chose 2k5 over Madden  ?...yea..BY FAR THE BEST GAME..YUP!

[M Dogg™]

Play Now with Madden it was easy because Madden is by far the best game in the field

LMAO..thats why most of the game review sites chose 2k5 over Madden  ?...yea..BY FAR THE BEST GAME..YUP!

*cough*hater*cough*

I'm giving the devil his due. I am not someone who supports what EA is doing either, but honestly, Madden in the best football game out. Everyone wanted 2K5 to be better than Madden, but honestly after playing both, Madden is just the best game out (always rent before you buy). Now witht he NBA 2K5 beats NBA Live like a red headed step child, and with the 19.99 price tag there was no question which game is going to my video game collection. And Madden was forced to drop it's prices to compete with ESPN 2K5, so I am gonna pick up Madden soon. It was very sad to see other video game companies not even release a game this year because Madden 2005 was already getting in position to be the greatest football game ever. And as for game sites, most are independent sites that are owned by some kid who roots for the underdog. We all love Rudy from Norte Dame, we all love Rocky, we all loved 50 Cent knocking off Ja Rule, and we all loved to see a video game force to drop it's price to 19.99 just to compete, give the other game headachs. 2K5 was the underdog, it was a great football game, almost as good as Madden, and with the price a better buy, but it was not better than Madden game to game.

[Thirteen]

Play Now with Madden it was easy because Madden is by far the best game in the field

LMAO..thats why most of the game review sites chose 2k5 over Madden  ?...yea..BY FAR THE BEST GAME..YUP!

*cough*hater*cough*

I'm giving the devil his due. I am not someone who supports what EA is doing either, but honestly, Madden in the best football game out. Everyone wanted 2K5 to be better than Madden, but honestly after playing both, Madden is just the best game out (always rent before you buy). Now witht he NBA 2K5 beats NBA Live like a red headed step child, and with the 19.99 price tag there was no question which game is going to my video game collection. And Madden was forced to drop it's prices to compete with ESPN 2K5, so I am gonna pick up Madden soon. It was very sad to see other video game companies not even release a game this year because Madden 2005 was already getting in position to be the greatest football game ever. And as for game sites, most are independent sites that are owned by some kid who roots for the underdog. We all love Rudy from Norte Dame, we all love Rocky, we all loved 50 Cent knocking off Ja Rule, and we all loved to see a video game force to drop it's price to 19.99 just to compete, give the other game headachs. 2K5 was the underdog, it was a great football game, almost as good as Madden, and with the price a better buy, but it was not better than Madden game to game.

*cough*dickrider*cough*

IGN did a seperate article with the two nfl games being compared side to side and EPSN still won

it's ok that they believe ESPN is a better game, you still have your opinion and you have your reasons for liking Madden but es el duque was right and had a reliable source to back up his opinion

[Woodrow]

Say what you want. Madden gets schooled in presentation, price, and fun factor.

I own both, and I play NFL2K5 MUCH more than madden.

[M Dogg™]

Say what you want. Madden gets schooled in presentation, price, and fun factor.

I own both, and I play NFL2K5 MUCH more than madden.

I gotta say I enjoyed Madden more. Though for the price I would have bought ESPN if EA didn't drop their prices. But it's because of the ESPN 2k5 vs. Madden 2005 that we are in this mess to begin with. Sega forced EA to lower their price, which is classic capitalism. Two people competing for consumers and earning the highest profit. ESPN decided that they can't compete 2K5 vs. Madden head on, so they lower the price to get people to buy it. It's been the best move I've ever seen a company do in the video game market. Add the fact that NBA ESPN 2K5 shits all over NBA Live 2005 and is cheaper, and you have a situation that EA is forced to deal with. I went to Wal-Mart, and Madden is selling for 19.99 and that's the only way it's selling, EA is not making the profit it's not used to, and NBA Live is not even moving off the shelf, though NBA ESPN 2K5 is moving like crazy. In the end, Sega just broke EA's hold on sports games. If they can do something, like make a boxing game with all the greats not on Fight Night, like Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson, Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez and other great boxers, and put out a great baseball game, then EA is in serious trouble. They lucked out with the NFL, but Sega is not a stranger to the video game world, and I hope they can break EA's wannabe monopoly. The sad part, at one time EA was hoping Sega would let them on their system, now they are trying to break Sega.

[7even]

^And exactly these kind of opinions should motivate EA to either lower their price or step their game up (no pun intended) or at least not get even worse ... if it wasn't for SEGA ESPN, shit would suck. Hard. Strikethrough 'would'. Shit will suck, eventually. It's a matter of time.

[M Dogg™]

^And exactly these kind of opinions should motivate EA to either lower their price or step their game up (no pun intended) or at least not get even worse ... if it wasn't for SEGA ESPN, shit would suck. Hard. Strikethrough 'would'. Shit will suck, eventually. It's a matter of time.

I think that EA games won the NFL war, in fact I know, but I think Sega needs to start doing other sports that EA does. Can you imagion if Sega started doing boxing, race cars, no need for NASCAR, do import racing which is more popular in the video game world anyways, they hold down the NBA, and if they can compete in baseball. There is other things besides football. Though football is the biggest, Sega can still takeover the other sports. Shit, fuck Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh is the new golf star now, and put out Williams sisters tennis, or anyother star. I mean the world has not ended in this rivalry, in fact I think by buying off the NFL because of Sega, EA is admitting that there is a rivalry and Sega needs to be taken seriously. Honestly, if they didn't know before, now they do. Personally, I say we start a boycott of EA sports games. We the consumers will not take kindly to the monopoly of sports games that EA is trying. I personly like Madden 2005 over ESPN 2K5, BUT, I will not stand for ESPN 2K5 not being in the market, since it's because of 2K5 that Madden was cheaper at 29.99, and now 19.99. I say we start a boycott of EA games, it's easy now since they suck at basketball. Start e-mailing people, start spreading it around, boycott EA games.

[eS El Duque]

Play Now with Madden it was easy because Madden is by far the best game in the field

LMAO..thats why most of the game review sites chose 2k5 over Madden  ?...yea..BY FAR THE BEST GAME..YUP!

*cough*hater*cough*

LOL..ok

I might be a "madden" the series hater...But I do love EA's NHL series...even though some of my friends are saying ESPN's is better..i say fuck em..EA's NHL rules