Super Bowl gets high tech. Streams the game live

This year the NFL takes the Super Bowl to the next level. The game will stream live (not really) for the big game.  The stream is on a major delay but gives you 5 views to pick from.

Are you ready for some football?! The NFL Lockout is over

NFL owners and players have come to their senses.  The lockout is now over. What that means for the players is that they can officially start training camp and ger ready for real games. What that means for owners is that they can start looking at what players they want to pay, trade or just cut. Rookies now actually have jobs.

What that means for us not working for the NFL is that Fantasy Football and Madden 12 are a go. Well EA was going to go ahead with Madden anyway. The end of the lockout is more important is sport sites and entrepreneur.  The lockout has already cost sport sites millions in advertising. Fantasy football is big business. Sites like footballguys.com lives off what happens in the league. They can not relax for the next 10 years.

The lockout on the part of the owners was greed and complete disregard for NFL fans. The owners spent three years preparing for the lockout. The owners also renegotiated network television contracts to require payments to the league during a lockout but did not plan to share that with the players. At no point did they honestly want to work things out until they saw they had no choice.  The owners lost by a rare 9-0 vote in the U.S. Supreme Court.

On the players part they were actually looking out for the less fortunate of the league. Not everyone that plays in the NFL is a star. The practice team, bench warmers and dare I say ‘kickers;’ do not get paid millions. The players decertified and sued the owners even though commissioner Roger Goodell offered the guaranteed annual increase in player salaries in early March.

So what was the end game of all this drama?

For one rookie bonuses and contracts will be reduced with a four-year salary program and a team option on a fifth year. The rookie payment program includes a provision that benefits agents in the third year of a rookie’s contract. Players also got a new program that will give lifetime health insurance. The players and the owners found a way to both pay the players increased salaries and allow for increasing profits for owners.

NFL Draft does go on. As expected after months of speculation the Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton is the number 1 pick..

NFL Draft does go on. As expected after months of speculation the Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton is the number 1 pick. The Carolina Panthers drafted Newton, making him their next franchise QB.

There was a lot of criticism about his accuracy and “character issues. Nevertheless  Newton will now have his chance to prove everyone wrong much the way Vick did when he came back after jail time. As soon as this whole NFL lockout issues get resolved he will start training with the team.

Class Action lawsuit against EA for Madden games. Why didn’t 2K Sports do this years ago?

A tip came in about EA getting a hit with a lawsuit for unfair practices when it comes to the Madden games. I was very surprised. Not that it was filed but that it was not 2K Sports. They were at one point very strong competition for EA Sports with their 2K Football series. Some would say they had a better and lower cost to buy product then EA. That rivalry was cut short when EA paid for an exclusive license to the NFL & NFLPA.  I love Madden and I’m one of those that get it every year. I need my football fix but it was nice to at least have a choice.  I harp on Madden because that is what I play but the suit is because the whole football market is under license by EA. They have exclusive licenses for the  NFL, NCAA and even AFL. There is more information at EA Sports Litigation. Let’s see if this goes anywhere.

Here is the Lawsuit:

GEOFFREY PECOVER and ANDREW OWENS v. ELECTRONIC ARTS INC.

U.S. District Court (N.D. Cal. – Oakland Div.)
Case No. 08-cv-02820 CW

If You Purchased Certain Electronic Arts Brand Football Video Games
Between January 1, 2005 to the Present
You May Be a Class Member.

Membership as a class member in the Electronic Arts Litigation is the result of a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, Oakland Division (Case No. 08-cv-02820 CW).

What Is This Class Action About?
The class action lawsuit alleges violations of California’s antitrust and consumer protection laws in connection with the sale of certain football video games. Plaintiffs, purchasers of Electronic Arts’ football video games, claim that Defendant Electronic Arts entered into a series of exclusive licenses with the National Football League (NFL), National Football League Players’ Association (NFLPA), National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), and Arena Football League (AFL), which Plaintiffs claim foreclosed competition in an alleged football video game market. Plaintiffs allege that this series of exclusive licenses caused customers who purchased certain football video games to be overcharged.
Defendant Electronic Arts has denied any liability and all allegations of misconduct. The Court has not decided whether the Defendants did anything wrong, and this Notice is not an expression of any opinion by the Court about the merits of any of the claims or defenses asserted by any party to this litigation.

Who Are Class Members?
The Class includes all persons who, during the period January 1, 2005 to the present, purchased the Madden NFL, NCAA Football, or Arena Football League brand video games published by Electronic Arts with a release date of January 1, 2005 to the present. Excluded from the class are purchasers of software for mobile devices, persons purchasing directly from Electronic Arts, persons purchasing used copies of the relevant football video games, and Electronic Arts’ employees, officers, directors, legal representatives, and wholly or partly owned subsidiaries or affiliated companies.

What Should I Do? (Getting Further Information)
If you believe that you may be a class member (see above “Who Are Class Members”), you should get more detailed information about the class action and its potential effect on you and your rights. Further information can be obtained by going to the following website: www.easportslitigation.com. Additional information about the lawsuit may be obtained from Plaintiffs’ Counsel website at www.hbsslaw.com, or by calling Plaintiffs’ Counsel at 1-206-623-7292.

To Remain a Class Member
If you are a class member and you do nothing, you will be bound by the court’s rulings in the lawsuit, including any final Settlement or Judgment.

To Exclude Yourself from the Class
(Deadline to Request Exclusion: June 25, 2011)
If you are a class member and you want to exclude yourself from the class and keep your right to sue Defendant, you must take further action before June 25, 2011. By that date, you must request exclusion in writing to this address:
Electronic Arts Litigation Exclusion
P.O. Box 8090
San Rafael CA 94912-8090

Or submit a request for exclusion electronically at the following website: www.easportslitigation.com

For further information about excluding yourself from the class go to the following website:
www.easportslitigation.com

Please do not telephone or address inquiries to the Court.
April 6, 2011. By Order of the U.S. District Court (N.D. Cal. – Oakland Div.).

NFL to use iPads for playbooks?

CNET is reporting that the NFL is considering replacing bulky coach’s play books with iPads. There are few teams are thinking about the switch. This would save so much money and paper. I wonder why it has not been done already.
One of the benefits  is a networked iPad.  Those detailed plays could be full of  animation. There would be no need to send someone down from the both to update pictures. Realtime pictures of the last play.  

Dallas Cowboys head of technology Peter Walsh explains, security is a top concern. Teams must be certain that networks and the iPads are secure, and that their intellectual property is protected.

Steelers vs. Ravens: Steelers Win Again

Steelers vs. Ravens: This was going to be a an epic fight. It was not at the start. When Ravens pulled out by two touchdowns. Everyone thought it was over. Except the Steelers who fought back with 21 unanswered points.  Then went on to win the game. It was sad to see but to be expected. The game between these two defensive powerhouses are never blow outs.  Rather they are war. This time as in the past Steelers won again 31-24. Next year they will be at it again.