End Exclusive Agreement Between EA and NFL

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In December 2004, video game developer Electronic Arts (EA) and the National Football League (NFL) inked a deal that granted EA with an exclusive license to use NFL teams, logos, stadiums, etc. in their flagship professional football video game series, Madden NFL. This effectively eliminated all competition in the market for games of the professional football genre.

We believe that as a result of EA's lack of a competitor in this genre, the quality, thoroughness, and innovation previously present in the Madden NFL series has severely declined.

The exclusive contract between EA and the NFL was originally set to expire in 2009, but on February 12, 2008, EA announced that it will extend the exclusive contract to end in 2013.

We find this to be unacceptable. We have given EA and the NFL the benefit of the doubt and have given them a chance to show that their partnership would result in great additions to the Madden NFL series, but instead we have been forced to deal with sub-par, rehash, unpolished games year and year; forced, because there is no alternative.

We believe the poor quality of game is a direct result of this agreement between EA and the NFL, and we believe that EA and the NFL owe it us to as fans of video games and fans of professional football to nullify this agreement immediately.

97 Signatures

  • Joe Andar
    • Comments
    • NFL 2K9
  • Isaac Meyer
    • Comments
    • I think EA sports is creating a monopoly. And we all know monopolies are illegal.
  • J Payton
    • Comments
    • Its not good for your image
  • Kellen Mathers
    • Comments
    • I loved ESPN NFL 2k5. Bring it back. Competition will lead to a better product.
  • cedric berry
    • Comments
    • ea and the nfl are wrong for this
  • JAMAR
    • Comments
    • OPTIONS THATS ALL THAT PEOPLE WANT
  • Joseph Jajou
    • Comments
    • We deserve a better product than madden, we want competion
  • Isaiah Baez
  • Brandon Dittsworth
    • Comments
    • All I can say is...what a damn monopoly! 2K Sports (Sega) had EA beaten in 2004 in sells for the NFL game, so they had to buy out the rights to stop 2k Sports from killing them.
  • Charles
  • Alastair Williams
    • Comments
    • END THIS MONOPLY!!
  • Ruben
    • Comments
    • NFL, give us, football fans and video game fans the opportunity to choose. EA have not make a good NFL game since the did the agreement with you.
  • karl
    • Comments
    • Competition is good, stop EA spoiling choice.
  • Jacob Smith
    • Comments
    • I believe that EA is not producing the best game it can with lack of competition from other Developers, specifically 2k Sports and Visual Concepts. Since NFL 2K5 was released by 2kSports, EA has had no serious competition and the result is for the gamer to either deprive themselves of an NFL licensed football game, or fork out a premium price for a mediocre rehashed game. Unacceptable. Only the NFL and EA are benefitting from this agreement and it is not in the best interest of the consumer.
  • Josh Pfau
  • Jonathan Harris
    • Comments
    • This agreement is most definitely illegal
  • Rob Laconis
  • lester johnson 3
    • Comments
    • share the licence
  • Christopher
    • Comments
    • В
  • Kevin Broden
    • Comments
    • В
  • ivan gonzalez
    • Comments
    • we need competition from 2k sports to keep improving madden at a faster rate.
  • Matthew Bartolomeo
    • Comments
    • How is this not illegal? This completely stifles innovation.
  • Darin Campbell
  • Bobby Nelson
    • Comments
    • every year is just a big roster update on a disk nothing in the game changes i want the NFL 2k series and the NFL gameday series back
  • chris woodruff
  • Mfreke Inyang
  • Nichelas
    • Comments
    • I don't think that it is fair for EA to hold a monopoly on NFL licensing.
  • Dean Crossman
    • Comments
    • Please end this exclusive agreement immediately.
  • NFL FAN
    • Comments
    • People (FANS) feel its unfair.
  • Dustin Singler
    • Comments
    • Competetion breeds excellence. With no competition we are stuck with mediocrity and apathy.
  • Joshua Berry
    • Comments
    • Nfl 2k5
  • Dayton Waller
    • Comments
    • I believe that they should let 2k sports make the nfl football games.
  • Eddie Sanders
    • Comments
    • Please end this madness!!!!!
  • Jesus Blas
  • Ken Guanga
    • Comments
    • Please NFL. Let there be competition between these gaming companies for improvements. Don't let one company monopolize the NFL brand. Thank you for reading.
  • trebor
    • Comments
    • need competition to improve innovation
  • David Houck
  • Ryan Maccia
  • Michael T. Hart
    • Comments
    • Monopoly's Breed Complacency!!!
  • Marques Binion
    • Comments
    • Please. 2k5 is so much of a better quality game. This must be stopped, it is a monopoly, and it criminal. I emplore you to consider the following.
  • Kevin Hynes
  • Kyle Leonard
    • Comments
    • the game has regressed each year without the needed competition to keep EA honest.
  • Umar S. Masood
    • Comments
    • MADDEN HAS BEEN HORRIBLE FOR YEARS!!!!
  • Ernest Weems
    • Comments
    • I have not brought an NFL game since NFL 2K5 and dont plan on buying any EA sports games!!! This agreement only serves EA sports interest and not the consumers!!
  • Clint Jozovich
    • Comments
    • Come on...
  • david jones
    • Comments
    • this must end!!!!!!!!!!
  • Kevin
  • Josh Poppy
  • Jared Spiller
    • Comments
    • EA is just scared of what might happen if they let 2k get their hands on some NFL material they will put EA out of business for good. Just like when they made 2k5 football
  • Joe Bonanza