ESPN And Electronic Arts Sign 15-Year Deal

acxr is wasted writes "Electronic Arts has dealt another blow to rival Sega by signing a 15-year agreement with ESPN, giving the publisher exclusive video game rights to ESPN branded material. EA has recently faced pressure from popular ESPN-branded Sega titles released at discount prices, prompting their recent deal with the NFL, and failed bid for the NBA."

EA and Microsoft?

[Anonymous Coward]

Seems like a match made in heaven to me. Nothing like some good ol' fashioned monopolising.

what's next?

[Anonymous Coward]

Release a smallpox infected Madden 2006 and call it manifest destiny?

Idiot

[kaedemichi255]

"We don't anticipating changing anything significantly from what we are currently doing," Larry Probst, chairman and chief executive of EA, said in an interview.

Not only is EA's CEO an evil monopolist, he's not very good at grammar either...

Great for the industry

[Anonymous Coward]

I personally feel that this will only help consumers and the industry. Now we won't have to worry about which title will be the better, because there will only be one. Also, the programmers at EA won't have to work extra long hours any more, because they won't have to make any changes to the games other than adding new seasonal data. Everyone's a winner!

Mixed Feelings

[pHatidic]

On one hand the evil alliance is getting more powerful by the day. On the other hand, ESPN pretty much only covers boring invented-for-tv/radio sports. I guess since I don't play sports games or EA games this doesn't really bother me, although the day they try to buy out the Nethack [nethack.org] dev team I'll be outside corporate headquarters with my torch and pitchfork.

My thoughts by John Madden.

[BitwiseX]

If you look ahead 15 years, this deal is going to expire. This deal is going to last 5475 days, and we all know that is a long time. This could be a very good deal for EA, but if it turns out to be a bad move, then it's not going to be good for EA.

That's it.

[djatari2600]

EA announces purchase of Skynet.

Challenge Everything (Exept our corporate empire.)

Re:Doesn't really matter.

[nacturation]

RPGs are the most important thing on any console anyway.

Hm... a hockey game where you can use Rocket Propelled Grenades... I think you've got a great idea there!

Re:My thoughts by John Madden.

[stratjakt]

My favorite Madden quote (forget about who): "Here's a guy, who - when he runs - he goes faster!"

Re:My thoughts by John Madden.

[tuxter]

Ahhhh, I see, I apologise for my lunacy. Not being american I have only heard of John Madden, not actually heard him. I seem to remember an announcer at the sydney olympics saying about a tennis player...."And before every match, his wife kisses his balls for good luck."

Re:My thoughts by John Madden.

[tuxter]

Here ya go, apologies

Here are the top nine comments made by NBC sports commentators so far during the Summer Olympics that they would like to take back:

1. Weightlifting commentator: "This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up and it was amazing."
2. Dressage commentator: "This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother."
3. Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father."
4. Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious.
5. Softball announcer: "If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again."
6. Basketball analyst: "He dribbles a lot and the opposition doesn't like it. In fact you can see it all over their faces."
7. At the rowing medal ceremony: "Ah, isn't that nice, the wife of the IOC president is hugging the cox of the British crew."
8. Soccer commentator: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field."
9. Tennis commentator: "One of the reasons Andy is playing so well is that, before the final round, his wife takes out his balls and kisses them...

Re:Huh?

[josh3736]

You're talking about the kids who buy Abercrombie & Fitch when you can get better quality from K-Mart and buy Starbucks when you could get it for $5.50 less from the gas station. The same kids who will listen to the latest shit put out by $RIAA_CASH_COW but scoff at anything independent, no matter how much better it is.

Of course it matters what name is on the front.

Re:Did EA also buy Slashdot?

[spac3manspiff]

Our Overlords are just making sure we know:
EA==M$
M$==The Devil

Re:Great for the industry

[eclectro]

Also, the programmers at EA won't have to work extra long hours any more

Actually this deal will insure that coders go 15 years without a lunchbreak

It sux to be them.

Re:15 years?!?

[Soporific]

Yes, my name is NFL Football '07-infinity *

Actually my name is just *

Pay me...

~S