EA secures exclusive rights to NFL,NFLPA

By Quinton Miles

Electronic Arts announced today that they have obtained exclusive licensing relationships with the National Football League and Players Inc. to develop, publish, and distribute future interactive football games. The deals, each handled seperately by EA, gives them the exclusive rights to the NFL teams, stadiums, and players for use in its games.

“We are pleased to expand our agreement with Electronic Arts, the leading video game manufacturer and a valued NFL partner,” said NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. “We look forward to working with EA to continue to enhance the quality of NFL video games that our fans have enjoyed for many years.”

“For more than a decade, EA has produced the most authentic football product for fans of the game,” said PLAYERS INC Chairman Gene Upshaw. “This exclusive relationship will maximize the value of NFL players through EA’s continued commitment to bring fans closer to the game.”

Also, EA claims the deal will allow for all aspects of the NFL interactive experience to be had in one EA game, meaning other NFL properties like NFL Films and the NFL Network can be used in future titles.

“We are excited about the opportunity to further enhance our relationship with the NFL and PLAYERS INC,” said Larry Probst, Chairman and CEO of Electronic Arts. “The five-year agreements will usher NFL fans through the console technology transition with new ideas and innovative game play experiences.”

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but either way this is huge news for any fan of other football titles such as ESPN NFL 2K, Fever, or GameDay. Mygamer will have more on this as it becomes available.