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Class Action Law Suits against EA; specifically football games

Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:26 pm
Posted by Puffoluffagus
Savannah, GA
Member since Feb 2009
6089 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:26 pm
Anyone get this e-mail?


quote:

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.).

Posted by LasVegasTiger
Idaho
Member since Apr 2008
8044 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:29 pm to
I just got it few minutes ago. Last two football games I bought were NCAA 2009 and Madden 2010.
Posted by ATLwreck
Birmingham
Member since Nov 2008
5555 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:32 pm to
I just got it. What does it mean. I didn't read it
Posted by Sarge
whodatmofo
Member since Dec 2008
13321 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:32 pm to
Just got mine.
Posted by finchmeister08
Member since Mar 2011
35559 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:32 pm to
what is the real issue? i don't speak "lawyer"?d
Posted by GeauxAggie972
Poterbin Residence
Member since Aug 2009
29424 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:33 pm to
I didn't get it and I buy Madden and NCAA every year.

Either way, the suit won't come up with anything. What it basically says is that EA Sports has done injustice by having this exclusive agreement with the NFL and Arena Football. By doing this, the lawsuit says we are paying too much for the games since it's the only NFL game out. While we are paying too much, they won't get far since every new game costs the same $60
This post was edited on 4/6/11 at 12:36 pm
Posted by LasVegasTiger
Idaho
Member since Apr 2008
8044 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:34 pm to
Plaintiffs allege that this series of exclusive licenses caused customers who purchased certain football video games to be overcharged.
Posted by Duckie
Tippy Toe, Louisiana
Member since Apr 2010
24314 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:34 pm to
just got it
Posted by Duckie
Tippy Toe, Louisiana
Member since Apr 2010
24314 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:35 pm to
quote:

what is the real issue? i don't speak "lawyer"?d



Anti competition. Basically, they are claiming that EA bought rights from NCAA and NFL so no one else could enter the market.

Half the reason NCAA football sucks so bad, imo.
Posted by Puffoluffagus
Savannah, GA
Member since Feb 2009
6089 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:36 pm to
My guess EA will settle out of court and give everyone $5 off coupons to buy their games.
Posted by GeauxAggie972
Poterbin Residence
Member since Aug 2009
29424 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:36 pm to
quote:

Half the reason NCAA football sucks so bad, imo.


And yet it's 10 times better than Madden
Posted by Duckie
Tippy Toe, Louisiana
Member since Apr 2010
24314 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 12:37 pm to
In the end, we won't be getting anything because EA will either spend less on the next game or increase prices. Everything will be shifted back to teh consumer. Pretty stupid imo.
Posted by CountryVolFan
Knoxville, TN
Member since Dec 2008
2969 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 2:59 pm to
This is pretty much the same Issue that came up with regards to my Bar Exam prep course.

A company name BarBri paid of Kaplan so that they would run a competing course, giving them the only gig in town.

The course was $500-$600... 4 years later I got a check for $84. I suspect there will be a similar settlement here. EA will pay for monopolistic practices, but they will still be better off in the long run for purchasing the licenses.

The big ruling will be that Pro Sports can't sell exclusive licenses... They will find ways around it if they want to do it, but it may not be worth it for them anymore.
Posted by LSUROCKS52
Rest in Peace
Member since Oct 2003
56 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 4:38 pm to
yeah i got this as well. I don't see where the plaintiffs could win b/c as was stated in this thread, these EA football games don't cost any more than other brand new PS3 games I buy. I never felt ripped off to pay $60 for NCAA 2011 when I paid $60 for assassins creed: brotherhood
Posted by finchmeister08
Member since Mar 2011
35559 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 6:21 pm to
seeing how i don't speak "lawyer", what should i do? i just got the email an hour or so ago.
Posted by shuke33
Under The Bridge
Member since Nov 2010
9052 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 6:28 pm to
Posted by LesMilesMorePryor
Member since Sep 2010
1125 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 7:42 pm to
I fkknn hate the latest ea games
Posted by Bestbank Tiger
Premium Member
Member since Jan 2005
70645 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 7:47 pm to
BS lawsuit, and a cash grab by parasite lawyers.

There are other games on the market--Blitz, Backbreaker, Maximum Football, etc. So what if you don't get the real teams and players? In some cases you just have to do the work to customize the game to your liking.

And this is a luxury item anyway. It's not like paying 'too much' harms the consumer. If it's really 'too much' don't pay.

Posted by Muppet
Member since Aug 2007
50512 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 7:53 pm to
quote:

There are other games on the market--Blitz, Backbreaker, Maximum Football, etc. So what if you don't get the real teams and players?


Because without the verisimilitude of actual professional teams with actual fan support, EA doesn't have to worry about a competitor.

The value of being able to play football with a controller is only part of the appeal... remember that Madden is a sports "simulator." People identify with it because it simulates part of our reality.

Nonfiction sells better than fiction.
Posted by baytiger
Boston
Member since Dec 2007
46978 posts
Posted on 4/6/11 at 7:55 pm to
quote:

Nonfiction sells better than fiction.


especially when there's a multi-billion dollar company advertising your product for you
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