EA has just announced that it has aquired the ESPN license (starting in 2006) for all their sports franchises. SEGA has it for one more year.

It makes sense anyway since they already use Corso, Nessler, and Herbstreit in their college game even without the ESPN license.

This comes off the heels of EA also announcing that they've locked up the exclusive rights to the NFL license, so they've basically shut SEGA out of football completely.

I don't think Sega really had a collegiate football game. This basically monopolizes the market, which is terrible. The ESPN games have wonderful graphics.

Fanatical Wrote:I don't think Sega really had a collegiate football game. This basically monopolizes the market, which is terrible. The ESPN games have wonderful graphics.

Actually Sega did have a college football game a few years back, but it was very weak compared to their NFL game, so they did the right thing and dumped the college game to concentrate on the NFL title.

You're right about the lack of competition though. It makes for a shabby product.

I'd imagine that Sega will shift over their current code to a college football game. I like the EA Sports NCAA series, but I wouldn't be unhappy if Sega released a good college football game (especially if it is $20).

mlbUC Wrote:I'd imagine that Sega will shift over their current code to a college football game. I like the EA Sports NCAA series, but I wouldn't be unhappy if Sega released a good college football game (especially if it is $20).

If I'm Sega, I hook up with Fox in 2006 and do some sort of college football presentation to compete with EA -- as long as the NCAA doesn't do an exclusive license, there's still hope for us.

Speaking of that, I'm not upset with EA for getting the NFL license because 1) it takes two to tango, 2) Sega also wanted in on the NFL exclusive license -- so either way, there was gonna be a monopoly on the NFL product, because 3) the NFL wanted to offer an exclusive license to the highest bidder. If we should be angry at anyone, it's the NFL.

Also, if I'm Sega, I'm looking at ways to align myself with NBC and the Arena League.