Hockey Players Brawl Over Game Rights
Last year there was no hockey. There was a big messy player lockout, mudslinging, deal-making and greed, but there was absolutely no on-ice action. That’s not to say that the National Hockey League Player’s Association (NHLPA) sat quietly on their hands through the entire debacle, no, they were busy making exclusive deals with trading card company Upper Deck, and video game goliath EA Sports.
The terms of the EA deal worked out to $44.2 million to the NHLPA over six years, starting in 2006. The exclusivity would prevent any other software companies from using actual NHL player names, and effectively torpedo the chance for third-party hockey games to make much of an in-roads with fans. This single supplier style incurred the wrath of the NHL executive, who feel that multiple licenses are the best, most profitable way to go. They were also annoyed by the fact (this is probably actually the largest cause of the disagreement) that the deal is between EA and the NHLPA, meaning that the league does not see a single cent.
So now the two sides are squabbling again, and the league is threatening to refuse the EA license and thumb its nose at the NHLPA’s audacity to make such a deal without league consent. They’ve come back with a counter offer saying that they’ll allow EA’s deal, but that it will not be exclusive and that Take-Two and their 2K franchise of games must be granted an NHLPA license as well.
The gloves are off! But who is going to end up with the bloody nose?
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