EA将被迫放弃NCAA橄榄球独占权

Toyger

EA长期把持橄榄球独占权的日子也许快要到头了。在一项针对EA把持多项足球联盟独占授权的反垄断集体诉讼中，消费者一方的律师团表示，EA已经同意了一项建议性解决方案，即在至少五年内不得享有NCAA橄榄球独占权，同时向受到损害的顾客支付大约2700万美元。
      
       根据这项解决方案的相关条款，EA与NCAA的协议将在2014年被迫失效，并保证在五年内不得续约。这也规定了在至少五年内EA不得与室内美式足球联盟签订独占协议。
      
       为了补偿损失，购买了EA在GC、PS2和xbox上发行的足球游戏的消费者，将获得每款游戏最高6.79美元的补偿，而那些购买了其在本世代主机上发行的相关游戏的消费者，将获得每款最高1.95美元的补偿。
      
       这项方案已经在上周提交法院，但必须在获得最终判决后才能生效。
      
       针对EA的集体诉讼要追溯的2004年，当时Take-Two互动娱乐旗下的NFL 2K5以20美元的价格出售并在美国售出了超过290万份。而Take-Two之前的橄榄球游戏，ESPN NFL Football，在美国仅售出了不到45万份。为了回击竞争对手的攻击性定价，EA将其旗下的Madden2005从50美元降到30美元。
      
       不久后，EA与NFL、NCAA、以及AFL签订了独占协议。没有了Take-Two的竞争，在接下来的一年，EA将其发售的Madden2006重新以50美元的价格发售。

Toyger

The days of Electronic Arts' long-held football exclusivity could be numbered. According to attorneys representing consumers in a class-action antitrust lawsuit over EA's exclusive hold of multiple football league licenses, the publisher has agreed to a proposed settlement that would commit it to going at least five years without NCAA Football exclusivity, as well as paying out a potential $27 million to wronged customers.

EA might not be the only game in town much longer.
Under the terms of the settlement, EA will let its current agreement with the NCAA lapse in 2014, and will not renew it for at least five years. It also stipulates that the publisher won't sign an exclusive deal with the Arena Football League for at least five years.

As for the payouts, consumers who purchased an EA football title for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, or Xbox could be entitled to up to $6.79 per game, while those who purchased a current-generation football game from the publisher could get up to $1.95 per game.

The proposed settlement was filed with the court last week, but must be approved before it can be made final.

Originally filed in 2008, the class-action suit focused on EA's actions since 2004, when Take-Two Interactive's NFL 2K5 was released at a $20 price point and sold more than 2.9 million copies in the US. Take-Two's previous football game, ESPN NFL Football, sold fewer than 450,000 copies in the US. In response to the aggressive pricing of its competitor, EA dropped the price of Madden 2005 from $50 to $30.

Shortly afterward, EA signed exclusive deals with the NFL, NCAA, and AFL. With no competitor from Take-Two the following year, EA released Madden 2006 at a $50 price point.