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EA BUYS COLLEGE FOOTBALL

CLC Grants EA Exclusive College Football Videogame License
Monday April 11, 8:30 am ET


ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 2005--The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) today announced an exclusive licensing relationship with Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS - News) to develop, publish and distribute interactive college football games. The six-year agreement gives EA the exclusive rights to the teams, stadiums and schools for use in its best-selling college football videogames. The agreement is for all videogame consoles including console online features and handheld devices. The first title under the new contract, NCAA Football 2006, is scheduled for release this summer. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
"When we began our analysis of the videogame landscape, it became apparent that EA SPORTS was best positioned from a marketing and development perspective to maximize the sales opportunities for college football," said Pat Battle, CEO of The Collegiate Licensing Company.

"Electronic Arts has been a tremendous partner, and we are thrilled that the EA SPORTS team has renewed its commitment to the college market. We look forward to seeing how EA will continue to grow its NCAA Football franchise through innovative game play, unique marketing programs and its dedicated sales force."

"EA SPORTS is currently our top non-apparel licensee," said Mike Low, Director of Licensing at the University of Notre Dame. "Fans love the effort they put into making the stadium, the traditions, mascots and the whole game environment so realistic."

"Our NCAA football franchise is a key element in our EA SPORTS brand lineup and we are pleased to have secured the NCAA license," said Jeff Karp, Group Vice President of Marketing for Electronic Arts. "There is an unrivaled loyalty our fans have for the game, and this agreement with CLC allows EA to continue to deliver to fans the best, most innovative college football experience now and for years to come."

EA's NCAA Football 2005 was the only college football title released in 2004. Its NCAA Football franchise, published under the EA SPORTS(TM) brand, has sold more than a million units in each of its three most recent iterations and was the #7 console title in terms of retail revenue in North America in 2004. NCAA Football 2005, currently is available for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Xbox® videogame system from Microsoft, and Nintendo GameCube(TM). The game was developed by EA Tiburon based in Orlando, FL and rated "E" (Everyone) by the ESRB.
 
Jesus. What the fuck is wrong with the NFL and the CLC? Retards...even if they're getting more money outta this than the other way. They fuck their fans by not giving them choice...
 
Yay... go and ruin any chance for a good football game EVER.. thanks EA.


I say GAF stages a protest at E3. An EA Game burning.
 
I don't even like sports games but this is complete bullshit. Now you guys have only 1 choice in both NFL and college. How is this being allowed?
 
tetsuoxb said:
Yay... go and ruin any chance for a good football game EVER.. thanks EA.


I say GAF stages a protest at E3. An EA Game burning.


Hmmmm..

Hasn't NCAA been almost universally praised by GAF? (except for that embarrasing Xbox Live thing)
 
monopoly.jpg
 
EA knows they have us over a barrel. We bitch and moan now, but come August, we'll be lining up for their games. The mainstream fan won't even notice that there isn't a choice out there anymore. :(
 
:lol :lol :lol

I would probably be more upset if EA actually had a competitor anymore in college football. But then who knows, maybe VC would have made a new one since they can't make NFL games anymore. Still, you better fix last years game EA and return it to the greatness that was 2004.
 
Didn't all the other College football games by other developers suck anyway? I can't even remember the names of any others.
 
Drey1082 said:
Didn't all the other College football games by other developers suck anyway? I can't even remember the names of any others.

Sega had one which sucked and I belive 989 studios made one too. It also sucked.

Also Deepthroat, EA has had the exclusive FIFA license for a quite a while now.
 
But the thing is that if there are better ways to do collegiate football, you won't be able to see them in an officially-licensed game (until 2011) if EA's development team hasn't the same idea and skill of execution. The loss is of potential choice to have better options and competition to drive everyone forward. EA's apparently afraid of competition...so much more sad if all of their competitors sucks as some say they do. The blame I lay on the NFL and CLC more than EA, as you can understand that a business will do what it feels is necessary...however those aforementioned organizations are not only bound by business realities, but also should be compelled to make the best decision for their ultimate constituents, the fans who pay for their products that they hand out licenses to. At least the NBA has a clue.
 
I expect Take Two to counter by purchasing the rights to Australian Rules Football. Take that, you greedy EA bastards!
 
This is just the beggining of things to come. Small companies are doomed next-gen. With rising game development costs most small companies will have to sell their souls. You'll see the likes of Treasure and many other small companies be gobbled up by the behemoth that is EA.

Ea must be stopped, but can they be?
 
ChronoMagnus said:
This is just the beggining of things to come. Small companies are doomed next-gen. With rising game development costs most small companies will have to sell their souls. You'll see the likes of Treasure and many other small companies be gobbled up by the behemoth that is EA.

Ea must be stopped, but can they be?

I'm picturing you walking back and forth on the GAF lawn, chanting and holding a sign that says "THE END IS NEAR."
 
So, who exactly are they trying to fuck over at this point besides consumers? They've killed off the competition...Take Two and everybody else is just laying there having its skull fucked in. Seems a bit worthless at this point, to me.
 
(Holds up sign) "The end is here" :lol

When ever one of these "EA buys out the competition" threads go up. GAF should have it that C&C: Red Alert "Hell March Theme" starts playing.
 
The game better not suck balls this year. I don't care if EA is the only college football game available as long as the players can catch the ball.
 
Jared Goodwin said:
So EA has the NFL, NCAA Football, FIFA, NASCAR, and ESPN tied up. Am I missing anything?

Oh yeah, and Arena League football.

I think they have the PGA too.

I hope they fix that travesty of a college game they released last year. I can just imagine the bulletpoints for NCAA 2006. "Mind-blowing realism. Receivers actually catch the ball! It's in the game."
 
They might have college football now, but those fuckers will never have dodgeball.
THE REVOLUTION IS DODGEBALL. DODGEBALL IS THE PEOPLE'S SPORT.
 
JUICE AM CRY.

EA really will be the end of gaming. Imagine if Sony, Microsoft, or (and this would actually have been humorous) Nintendo had bought football.

If T2 puts out Backyard Football, we should all buy it in mass quantities.
 
It would matter if anyone else made a College Football game. EA pretty much already had a monopoly on this already as no one else even expressed a desire to make a College Football game.

Oh wait! I am supposed to say, "EA is buying too much stuff" or something.
 
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