SportsBusiness Journal is reporting that the NFL has agreed to reduce the licensing fee Electronic Arts will pay for the Madden franchise in 2011. The NFL's contract with EA provides licensing and sponsorship for the Madden NFL franchise of video games. The labor uncertainty could affect a game that prides itself on the ability to update rosters throughout the normal season. This amended agreement between the NFL and EA also adds a year to the end of the contract, taking it through 2013.
What I wonder is if EA will provide a discount for the game in 2011 now that they're getting a discount. If football starts like normal I'd guess no. However, if there is a lockout, does EA knock a little something off the price to encourage folks to purchase? Or do they figure people will be desperate for some kind of football and thus demand could actually spike? Will a labor stoppage affect your decision to purchase Madden for the upcoming season?
In somewhat related news, the New York Times put together an interesting article a couple weeks ago that looked at team-by-team popularity when it came to people selecting teams on Madden. Since August 10, the Philadelphia Eagles have been the most popular team (8% of all games) and the Arizona Cardinals were the least popular team. The San Francisco 49ers finished right in the middle at No. 15. Here is the 49ers graphic courtesy of the New York Times. You can view the rest at the link above.
