Support NeoGAF

[Foil]

Not sure if this is old or new? Interesting...

NHL and union clash on rights for video games
The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have spent the last few months staring each other down in a clash over economic issues and an all-important contract. No, this is not a flashback from a year ago, but instead a description that applies to the video-game business and a tussle over whether to have an exclusive licensee.

Shortly before the end of the lockout, the NHLPA reached exclusive deals in the video-game and trading-card categories, with Electronic Arts and Upper Deck, respectively. According to a memo that NHLPA executive director Ted Saskin sent to players dated Aug. 17, Electronic Arts will pay the players’ association $44.2 million over six years, while Upper Deck will pay $25 million over five years.

Both deals, Saskin said in a subsequent interview, are exclusive. With video games, that means that starting in 2006, EA will be the only third-party software company that will have rights to NHL player names. (Sony, a hardware manufacturer, will still be able to produce its own game.) Upper Deck’s exclusive in trading cards has already begun.

The league supported the Upper Deck exclusive and cut its own deal with the company. But the EA deal immediately drew the ire of the league brass, who felt all parties were better off with multiple licensees, especially because the NHL 2K series of games from Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. has generally been better received by the gaming community.

The fact that the union had commanded a premium for exclusivity, with none of that extra revenue going to the league, also did not go over very well. In the video game category, leagues and players associations traditionally split royalties of 14 to 16 percent down the middle. But by being first to the table with EA, the NHLPA positioned itself to collect the majority of revenue from the category.

Things did not end there, though.

Refusing to let the players’ association unilaterally decide to keep the category exclusive, sources said the league used the leverage it still had and refused to extend EA’s license unless Take-Two was allowed to get an NHLPA license as well.

It also pursued an extension of Take-Two’s licensing deal, which expires after this season.

Faced with having to eat the poison pill of having two separate games, one with no player names and one with no league or team trademarks, all of the parties came back to the table. The league now says it is close to announcing deals that will keep both Take-Two and EA as licensees, with the union’s participation.

“We remain confident we will have a video game category that will have multiple partners supplying software to the new consoles,” said Brian Jennings, group vice president, consumer products marketing, at NHL Enterprises “We feel pretty confident we have basically reached in-principal understandings.”

But in an interview earlier this month, Saskin said he has had talks with Take-Two but only will strike a deal if it’s beneficial to both the NHLPA and to EA.

“To the extent you wanted to bring in third-party licensees like Take-Two, there would have to be adjustments made,” he said. “It would only be in situations that made sense for EA and the players’ association and the category.”

The league’s position is that having competition is the only thing that makes sense for the category.

“I think choice is important,” Jennings said. “We were not comfortable going with an exclusive model. We think having two highly motivated partners in this space, three with Sony, means more compelling games for our fans.”

The battle between EA and Take-Two took shape a year ago when Take-Two cut prices on most of its 2K Sports titles to $19.99, stealing share from EA and forcing EA to cut prices as well.

Reacting largely to Take-Two’s price slashing on its NFL football game, EA negotiated a five-year, $300 million exclusive agreement with the NFL last December, making its best-selling Madden game the only NFL title through 2009. Take-Two quickly followed with an MLB agreement that locked EA out.

But Take-Two has still spoken out against exclusives in the video-game category, carrying that stance through to the NHL.

“The best thing for me to say is we’re currently in negotiations with the [NHL] players’ association,” said Steve Glickstein, vice president of licensing at Take-Two. “The more people competing in the space, the better the games are. When you look at certain deals that are exclusive out there, the quality of game tends to come down.”

An EA spokesperson would not comment on its agreements with the NHL and NHLPA, other than to say that nothing has been announced to this point.

http://eahockey.com/news/details.php?id=0067

 

[Stench]

Saskin said he has had talks with Take-Two but only will strike a deal if it’s beneficial to both the NHLPA and to EA.

Chris Chelios is not impressed.

 

[bumpkin]

Okay, first EA ruined football for me, and now they're going after hockey too? If this happens, I'm pretty sure I'll stop playing sports video games in general.

2K >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> EA Sports

 

[DopeyFish]

WHAT

THE

FUCK

 

[MetatronM]

You know, I was mostly on the side of the owners during the lockout, and I'm entirely on the side of the league on this matter too. Fuck the NHLPA.

 

[neptunes]

<insert obligatory EA domination pic here>

 

[yodathesoda]

I'm probably in the minority here but I found EA's 06 to be a much better effort and representation of real hockey than 2K6. Either way though lack of competition always sucks.

 

[Mooreberg]

Saskin said he has had talks with Take-Two but only will strike a deal if it’s beneficial to both the NHLPA and to EA.

:lol @ "beneficial to EA"

Who would figure the NBA would be the only league to not grant third party exclusivity.

 

[FightyF]

I'm probably in the minority here but I found EA's 06 to be a much better effort and representation of real hockey than 2K6. Either way though lack of competition always sucks.

You're in the minority because you're wrong.

 

[Reilly]

You're in the minority because you're wrong.

I'd like the 2K games more if they were less glitchy and buggy and I actually got replays and shit for the PS2 version...oh and the graphics suck too. 06 got my buy this year.

 

[jamesinclair]

Are the NBA the only ones with brains?

They have the best game policy.

 

[DopeyFish]

im so sick of the nhlpa

soon i'm going to tear the names off all my hockey jerseys and refer to the players by the numbers instead of their names.

 

[FightyF]

I'd like the 2K games more if they were less glitchy and buggy and I actually got replays and shit for the PS2 version...oh and the graphics suck too. 06 got my buy this year.

Hey if you prefer replays to gameplay...fine by me. Just don't call it a better game.

 

[yodathesoda]

Hey if you prefer replays to gameplay...fine by me. Just don't call it a better game.

Have you played both games?

 

[Zep]

Man, if this EA/NHL thing goes through Bish is gonna shit kittens.

 

[Shinobi]

:lol Fuck EA...

 

[Amused_To_Death]

Ahhhh...Does everyone remember how EA had "Exclusive License" on its NHL 06 game and then they had to pull it off at the last second? You can't fault the NHLPA for not wanting $44.2 million but it appears someone in the league had some sense. Someone please call the NBA for pointers. They got as much money as the NFL and MLB got from their deals and they kept everyone in line. The consumers benefit from choice and competition. I have no doubt that the NBA games (and NHL if this deal doesn't go through) will be the best sports games in a couple of years...

 

[Foil]

Ahhhh...Does everyone remember how EA had "Exclusive License" on its NHL 06 game and then they had to pull it off at the last second?

I remember that, makes sense now. I still recall how pissed people were when they saw that on the early box mockups for NHL 06.

 

[Lil' Dice]

Maybe they should make the player's union play Madden 2006? :lol

 

[bishoptl]

You know, I was mostly on the side of the owners during the lockout, and I'm entirely on the side of the league on this matter too. Fuck the NHLPA.

Absolutely right. EA can't compete - they KNOW they can't compete - on a level playing field. How else do you think Take-Two was able to sneak up the middle and start outselling them? Exclusive deals are bad for gamers, especially when the license sits in the hands of second-tier development teams.

"Fuck you, Ted Saskin!"

I'm probably in the minority here but I found EA's 06 to be a much better effort and representation of real hockey than 2K6.

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol Why am I not surprised?

 

[yodathesoda]

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol Why am I not surprised?

Hey, I've played 2K since back in the Dreamcast days and it has been the best game of hockey since then. But I encourage you actually give 06 a chance, once you get some sliders from OS and you will see yourself. I've played hockey for 18 years and find 06 to be the better representation and better presented game of hockey. Still, like I said no competition sucks.

 

[Shinobi]

"Fuck you, Ted Saskin!"

:lol

And yeah, it's obvious EA are scared to compete...pretty sad considering how big they are.

 

[jaundicejuice]

This lame exclusivity battle between Take Two and EA better not leech its way into hockey, I don't wanna lose the luxury of choice here. I never thought I'd be praising the league, or Bettman, but GG.

Fucking Saskin and the NHLPA.

 

[FightyF]

Have you played both games?

Of course!

NHL 06 is pretty good, and I've said it before in a comparison thread and I'll say it again, it even compares to ESPN NHL 2K5. People who buy it will have fun, as I had fun with 2K5 last year.

But that's last year's 2K game. This year with the skating advancements (strafing and skating with your back against the boards), on the fly coaching, and icon passing makes it a totally different game and makes 2K5 seem archaic.

A good comparison would be playing GTA: San Andreas and then playing GTA3. Doing things that have become second nature...you can't do in the older version...and you can't do in EA's games.

 

[Mr_Furious]

Maybe, just maybe, EA pulling all this sports exclusive bullshit will be a blessing in disguise. With no competition EA will surely start slacking (as they've already proven) with each and every sports franchise next-gen and hopefully, just hopefully, consumers will be more and more hesitant to throw $60 more EA's way with each annual installment. In the long run, lower sales will result and will cause EA to rethink their money spending to secure future exclusives.

Ah, who am I kidding. All you sports freaks out there will do whatever it takes to get your virtual sports fix and at any cost. Have a ball sports fans.

 

[DopeyFish]

NHL 2K6 is REALLY borked in terms of defencemen skating, though.

 

[FightyF]

Maybe, just maybe, EA pulling all this sports exclusive bullshit will be a blessing in disguise. With no competition EA will surely start slacking (as they've already proven) with each and every sports franchise next-gen and hopefully, just hopefully, consumers will be more and more hesitant to throw $60 more EA's way with each annual installment. In the long run, lower sales will result and will cause EA to rethink their money spending to secure future exclusives.

Ah, who am I kidding. All you sports freaks out there will do whatever it takes to get your virtual sports fix and at any cost. Have a ball sports fans.

EA has been facing lower sales in the NHL series. 2K5 outsold EA's 2005 3 to 1! The problem is that EA sees this as a solution. "We're getting killed in sales...the only way we can become the #1 selling game is to buy exclusivity!".

Higher quality and lower price is what helped 2K5 sell better. Y'know...something called having a competitive product. EA should give that a shot.

Dopey: I play on sim settings and I feel it's good. The only suggestion I'd have for the dev team is that you can use your momentum from skating forwards to skating backwards, where it seems you slow down a little too much when switching. Maybe I'm missing something though...could you be more explicit? I'm interested...

There's more problems that I've found...but compared to some major glitches in past versions they seem like minor stuff.

 

[Kingpen]

NHL 2K6 is REALLY borked in terms of defencemen skating, though.

Not the 360 version...
I can't find a thing to complain about with the 360 version.

 

[Mr_Furious]

EA has been facing lower sales in the NHL series. 2K5 outsold EA's 2005 3 to 1! The problem is that EA sees this as a solution. "We're getting killed in sales...the only way we can become the #1 selling game is to buy exclusivity!".

Higher quality and lower price is what helped 2K5 sell better. Y'know...something called having a competitive product. EA should give that a shot.

You're preaching to the choir, brother. I know all about EA's bullshit tactics and couldn't resist taking a shot at both EA and the rabid sports fanatics that fund/defend them.

 

[crunker99]

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/sports/nhl2k6/news.html?sid=6141616

the nhl/pa gave EA the boot thank god

 

[M3wThr33]

Pfft. NHL peaked with Hitz.

 

[FightyF]

Pfft. NHL peaked with Hitz.

Your comment even bring up an important point...if the NHLPA even allows Take Two to develop games with player names, alongside Sony and EA...what about games like Hitz, which attract a different market of gamers who don't want to play a simulation game?

I thought Hitz was fantastic arcade hockey...and it was so simple that people unfamiliar with hockey could start and get good at it. If the NHLPA had their way...they would end up hurting the marketing of the league, which is obviously struggling in that sense.

 

[M3wThr33]

It's funny because Hitz is the only sport game my girlfriend likes to play. And she's Canadian. So I guess that's expected.

 

[Futureman]

Haven't followed videogame news too closey lately, but...

Does Sega have anything to do with the 2K series anymore?

Is 2K6 considered a considerable improvement over 2K5? I'm thinking of getting 2K6 soon, but I have 2K5. Not sure if it is worth it.

and I played '06 for the first time last night. Damn, the graphics really step on the 2K series, but on the other hand, the gameplay of 2K steps all over EA.

*bonus 2K question*
Is it possible to play two people on one Xbox vs. someone else over Live? I remember in 2K3 I could never figure out how to do this (maybe you couldn't?).

 

[FightyF]

Haven't followed videogame news too closey lately, but...

Does Sega have anything to do with the 2K series anymore?

Is 2K6 considered a considerable improvement over 2K5? I'm thinking of getting 2K6 soon, but I have 2K5. Not sure if it is worth it.

and I played '06 for the first time last night. Damn, the graphics really step on the 2K series, but on the other hand, the gameplay of 2K steps all over EA.

*bonus 2K question*
Is it possible to play two people on one Xbox vs. someone else over Live? I remember in 2K3 I could never figure out how to do this (maybe you couldn't?).

Yeah 2K6 is quite a bit different, especially if you use the advanced control settings.

I've never done it yet, but I do believe so. Used to do it a lot for 2K4...and I think 2K5.

 

[Zep]

I played that 2on2 Ice Hockey Challenge (Fight For Freedom brought it up) and hot damn is that game raw...wished i knew about it when it first came out in the arcades. Why dont companies make hockey games like that anymore?

 

[koam]

This rocks, I hope they continue to be stubborn, that will screw both EA and T2. That would mean that EA wll have player rights only and T2 will have Team rights only. It serves them well, I don't want to see $60 NHL games.