EA just sent word letting us know that they continue to hold an iron grip on the National Football League license. EA will continue to be the sole company that can produce any type of official NFL games up until the year 2013, marking the end of the 2012 season:
Both agreements include all aspects of the interactive experience,including console and handheld games as well as console-based onlinefeatures. The agreements also provide EA access to both NFL Films andthe NFL Network to enrich its game experiences. Financial terms of theagreements were not disclosed.
I can’t help but wonder how much EA has paid to keep the exclusivity. I also can’t help but wonder how much of that money goes to keeping Madden alive. Seriously, I’m starting to think Madden is some sort of a cyborg zombie demon …
Hit the jump for the PR and please let us know how much moreevil this makes EA.
[Fun fact:GTA 2, Ghost Recon Advance WarfighterandEscape From LAall take place inthe year 2013!Destructoid: Providing you with completely useless trivia since 2006.]
WITH NFL AND NFL PLAYERS
Exclusive Agreements Renewed Through 2012 Season
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – June 04, 2025 – Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS) today announced an extension of its exclusive licensingrelationships with the National Football League and NFL PLAYERS todevelop, publish and distribute interactive football video games. Theseagreements – which were negotiated separately and are extensions ofcontracts originally signed in December 2004 – provide EA continuedrights to NFL teams, stadiums and players for its critically-acclaimedand best-selling football videogames through the end of the 2012 season,which culminates in February 2013.
“This is all about bringing authenticity and realism to NFL videogames,”said Eric Grubman, President of NFL Ventures. “EA SPORTS continuallyworks to maintain the cutting edge for NFL products across a variety ofgaming platforms. We like the fact that they never rest.”
“This is great news and it means we can continue to produce the bestinteractive experience possible. It also allows NFL PLAYERS, the NFLand EA to continue to build our brands,” said Gene Upshaw, Chairman ofNFL PLAYERS and Executive Director of the National Football LeaguePlayers Association. “We offer a very unique experience. “
“We are excited about the opportunity to extend and expand ourrelationships with the NFL and NFL PLAYERS,” said Peter Moore, Presidentof EA SPORTS(tm). “For nearly two decades, EA SPORTS has been bringingsports fans closer to the great game of football through thebreakthrough interactive experiences of our videogames. Game quality isour top priority, and we’re committed to pushing our gameplayinnovation, connecting football fans via rich online experiences anddelivering the most visually stunning sports games on the market.”
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2008, EA’s Madden NFL franchise hasconsistently been one of the videogame industry’s best-selling andtop-rated products, generating more than $2 billion in retail sales.Madden NFL 08 earned awards from the 2007 Game Critics Awards at the E3Media and Business Summit, The SpikeTV Video Game Awards, and theGameSpot Readers Choice Awards last year. The game is available on thePLAYSTATION(r)3 and PlayStation(r)2 computer entertainment systems, Xbox360(tm) and Xbox(r) videogame and entertainment systems from Microsoft,Nintendo DS(tm), Wii(tm), PC, PSP(r) (PlayStation(r)Portable) handheldentertainment system, mobile handsets and Mac. EA also produces thearcade-football game NFL Tour which hit stores in January 2008, and NFLHead Coach, which was released in 2006. EA SPORTS recently hostedMadden Bowl XIV in Scottsdale, Ariz., as part of Super Bowl XLIIfestivities.
Both agreements grant exclusive rights for action simulation,arcade-style and manager games on the PC, handheld game devices andconsoles.
