EA Sports NFL Exclusive Deal extended to 2012

And 2K Sports you were so close; only inches away from being able to play in the NFL again. It has been the dreams of the more rabid 2K Sports fans that next year would be the year they could finally partake in a fully licensed NFL video game outside of EA Sports. The existing exclusive rights deal that Electronic Arts has with the NFL was set to expire next year. But that deal is set to be extended to 2012 instead. Peter Moore, the new face of EA Sports, is set to re-invent the sports division and quite honestly I’m interested to see what EA Sports will be under his direction.
“Mr. Moore’s mission to boost EA’s sports business could play an important role in a push at the Redwood City, Calif., company to increase sales after several years of little growth. At an EA briefing for analysts today, Mr. Moore plans to announce the extension of a deal with the National Football League and the NFL Players Association through 2012 that will continue EA’s position as the exclusive maker of NFL videogames, including Madden. EA’s previous exclusive NFL deal was due to expire next year. Financial terms of the new agreement won’t be disclosed.”

February 12th, 2008 at 9:11 am
I dont have a big problem with this but ppl who hate EA will. Madden is the best football game out right now and its always been the best.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Great for EA, not a huge sports fan and its a mission of mine to learn more about the Madden games… if I can put CoD4 down at some point.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:33 am
This really sucks!! Only reason EA exteneded their NFL exclusive deal was 2K Sports was gaining on their heels (especially with NFL 2K5 which at the time was a better game than Madden).
Madden 2008 was actually a good game but I wish that EA would do something with the ESPN rights as far as the presentation. And I hope EA fixes the online issues as well.
February 12th, 2008 at 10:30 am
This is pretty disappointing… Only having one game on the market just hurts all of us… Madden is good, but its Madden… You buy a new roster each year, thats all… No opportunity to bring something different to the table…
i thought when ESPN did the 2K football way back when, it was much better than madden… Then, SCOOP, EA signed with NFL… It’s too bad…
I dont think any company should have exclusive rights to any sport…
February 12th, 2008 at 10:58 am
I am not a fan of EA, but Peter Moore may change my mind. When he was still with Microsoft, he heard a lot from the community about what they liked and didn’t like about things. He has a different perspective than his predecessor. Like you, Deacon, I am interested to see what Mr. Moore will do with EA. I am really hoping that EA’s business models will change and not charge you an arm and a leg for DLC, new games that only offer the smallest of upgrades, and just produce better quality games.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
While it hurts to not see another NFL 2K game, I can’t be mad @ EA for protecting their investment, lol.
February 12th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Hate EA but love Madden i think Fifa is the worst game ever but thats because Winning Eleven is awesome
February 12th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Madden needs to do something to gain the crowd it lost this past series. it’s time to full integrate that ESPN license and give us a REAL half-time show.
February 12th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Noooo!
February 12th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
I ment no EA noooo! not at you Deacon.
September 25th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
EA sucks. They know they suck and are shivering in fear of the better competition that 2K Sports presented in their far better NFL games. I’m protesting all EA Sports games for the rest of my life.
March 10th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
What a sack of crap. The NFL has crooked refs and the video game industry has EA Sports. ESPN 2K5 is far superior than madden at the time, especially presentation-wise and surely in price. So what do the good folks at EA do? Well since they have the best interests of the gamer and NFL fan in mind, they lower their price to compete with 2K Sports and work hard to create a better-playing game that has awesome presentation like the 2K5 did and they spruce up the commentary to make you feel like you’re in the game. (As Borat would say) NOT!!! They continue to pump out mediocre games and avoid having to improve their product by buying the rights to NFL players and put 2K5′s NFL series out of business. Everyone wins! EA and gamers! oh wait, gamers like us actually lost, big time…
August 3rd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Exclusive license means no competition. No comp means EA can put out any crap they want and people will buy it. No Madden isn’t the best football game out, that’s why they bought an exclusive deal because NFL 2K5 was way better than Madden 05.
August 15th, 2009 at 1:41 am
ahh this sucks, no competition sucks, wow i havent played NFL 2k5 but i’ve played madden 05. it was the best football game I’ve ever played (beside blitz 2001 for 64) anyway that was the pinicale of game competition, I mean come on if EA could produce more features in 2004 for the game cube, why can’t they do it now? I’ll tell you why, because they don’t have to. They’ll put out crap and with nobody in competition, sheesh this is America. I was really considering buying Madden 10 but now i just want to rebel. until there is no “exclusive rights” EA can f*** themselves
October 3rd, 2009 at 6:13 pm
2K5 was the best football game I ever played. For the last five years Ive been playing madden football and every year its been the same. Even this year with the pro tak system nothing is different.Madden Q B,s cant lobb the ball over the dbs for an inzone touchdown in 2k5 they could.its been five years and madden still cant make a better game.Pathetic. Im going to bring my madden 10 back in and never buy a new madden intil they make REEL strides in the gameplay
January 25th, 2010 at 6:14 am
yeah maddens a 65 dollar piece of crap pro tak please how stupid does ea think we are i wanna play the game not have animations do every thing lets boycott madden i want better can we get that of course not