Good News for NBA Video Games
Earlier this month EA announced that it had signed an exclusive licensing deal with the NFL allowing NFL teams, players, and stadiums to be used exclusively by EA football games (namely their Madden series). This, of course, will greatly hamper competition, supposedly, because (in theory) very few people will purchase a video game that doesn't have real team names and players, especially when there's an exisiting game on the market with the real teams/players.
Not surprisingly, EA approached the NBA with a similar offer. Thanksfully, EA has been rebuffed by the NBA. There's enough competition in the NBA console market that the NBA makes more money licensing out their teams and players to all of the competition than they would selling the rights exclusively to EA.
All I can say is, “Phew!” This will keep EA baseketball alternative games alive and the more games around, the better the competition, the better the game innovation, the better the pricing, etc., etc.