EA signs deal with ESPN

[Experiment2100]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/01...s_6116473.html

Games that leverage the ESPN brand will make their way to retail sometime during 2006, "upon the conclusion of ESPN's existing video game licensing commitments."
The news is the second blow to current ESPN license holder Sega (and its Visual Concepts development studio). It recently lost the right to publish sports games using the NFL license when EA scooped that license up. Now, it loses the right to the ESPN brand as well.

[exstatic]

Sega had better get off their asses. Sony and MS are going to bury them if they don't watch out.

[T Park]

What Ive always wanted, the graphics quality and playing quality of NBA Live along with ESPN presentation.

[ALVAREZ6]

EA is so much better.

[maxpower]

maybe not sega but not ea

http://sports.ign.com/articles/580/580468p1.html

Take Two to get MLB exclusive? NBA to sell genre exclusive licenses?
January 18, 2005 - I can't ever remember a more tumultuous time in the history of sports video games. And just when you think you know it all, another bomb is dropped on your lap.

EA buys the NFL exclusive. EA buys the ESPN exclusive.

But now, here comes the counterpunch.

Rumors are circulating that the Take Two/Visual Concepts team is in negotiations to buy the exclusive MLB license, and negotiations are almost final. Visual Concepts is the company I had mentioned in a previous column as the ones who went out and locked up a long term deal with Major League Baseball after the NFL exclusive was announced, and now it looks like they were not only granted a long term deal, but are about to make it an exclusive. Word is, it could be an exclusive third party contract, meaning first-party publishers like Sony (989), Microsoft, and Nintendo will still be able to publish games using the real players and teams, but surprisingly, it's mega power EA who will be cut out of the loop.

On the NBA front, rumors are spreading throughout the industry that the league is now looking to sell genre-specific exclusives once current deals expire, meaning they want one company to publish sims (NBA Live, NBA 2K5), one to publish street-style games (NBA Street V3, NBA Ballers), and one to publish portables. Sources tell IGN Sports that there is already some major money on the table for each deal, and it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out. The NBA has rejected initial bids for the all-encompassing exclusive, taking the compe ion from the courts to the negotiating table.

[Uncle Donnie]

What Ive always wanted, the graphics quality and playing quality of NBA Live along with ESPN presentation

Visual Concepts' NBA games have all over NBA Live in these categories for the past 5 years.

The ESPN license didn't really add much to the NBA game anyway, unless you count the insightful commentary of Tolbert and Walton. They should try to grab a TNT license, that would be 100 times better.

[NameDropper]

If it's in the game, it's in the game.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

They should try to grab a TNT license, that would be 100 times better.

Now you're on to something. Piss on EA and piss on ESPN.