Ryanwb

What are the long-term ramifications for the league?
Barring a new CBA, the players either will be on strike or the owners will lock out the players in 2008. The union likely will decertify, and antitrust rules will apply. Also, the NFL draft will go away in 2008 as part of a clause inserted in the current CBA. Players coming out of college could be free agents, with no salary restrictions. Open negotiations, including those for rookies coming out of college, will leave it to the players to get what they can get.

Now, pay attention, cause this is a bit complicated. The current problems in the NFL between the league and the players associateion might make the EA/NFL contract void. This is because if the union decertifies, then anti-trust rules will apply. If this happens, then EA is out of luck. Antitrust laws would be in effect and the contract would be voided. EA signed a deal with both the NFLPA and NFL so at the least, other companies could use the players, but not the actual team names. Not a big deal really, since we know who they would be referring to.

Just to recap, the NFLPA may decertify itself in order to keep a lockout from occuring. This in essence will make antitrust laws apply. The NFLPA will decertify if no agreement is reached to extend the CBA. Keep an eye on this people, we know it is a lot of "ifs" but stranger things have happened. Keep your fingers crossed.

SeattleCard

http://www.gamersreports.com/news/1574/

EA's NFL Exclusivity Contract May Be Voided >

2006/03/02 11:50:03: Posted by DM
Read this before we go on:

What are the long-term ramifications for the league?
Barring a new CBA, the players either will be on strike or the owners will lock out the players in 2008. The union likely will decertify, and antitrust rules will apply. Also, the NFL draft will go away in 2008 as part of a clause inserted in the current CBA. Players coming out of college could be free agents, with no salary restrictions. Open negotiations, including those for rookies coming out of college, will leave it to the players to get what they can get.

Now, pay attention, cause this is a bit complicated. The current problems in the NFL between the league and the players association might make the EA/NFL contract void. This is because if the union decertifies, then anti-trust rules will apply. If this happens, then EA is out of luck. Antitrust laws would be in effect and the contract would be voided. (EA signed a deal with both the NFLPA and NFL so at the least, other companies could use the players, but not the actual team names. Not a big deal really, since we know who they would be referring to.)

Just to recap, the NFLPA may decertify itself in order to keep a lockout from occuring. This in essence will make antitrust laws apply. The NFLPA will decertify if no agreement is reached to extend the CBA. Keep an eye on this people, we know it is a lot of "ifs" but stranger things have happened. Keep your fingers crossed.

Update: Since the current CBA runs until 2008, they would not de-certify until then we have been told. This means on the off chance this happens, we still have to put up with 2 more years of EA. If you want to read up a bit on anti-trust law, check it out here.

abomb

I read that this morning and said "man, that is a lot of what ifs". In the end, no way it happens.

A-Bomb

LVCARDFREAK

good!

ESPN 2K5 was a better game but got run out because of EA's exclusivity.

NEZCardsfan

I hope this happens. Madden sucks. I liked it better when there was some competition....I actually played Sega's version more.

SuperSpck

Agreed, I've always been a Madden guy until the dreamcast came out, then I thought that the competition between the two caused some really good stuff to happen. The monopoly BS is absurd and will ultimately hurt the franchise from an artistic and emotionaly pleasing standpoint.

bratwurst

Thing is - it takes at least a year, and millions of dollars to develop a good game. No one is going to gamble on doing that hoping that the contract between EA and the NFL and NFLPA gets voided. So a game wouldn't show up in 2008, it would probably be until 2009 at the earliest you saw a game.

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