As concerned sports gamers, we are calling attention to the potential renewal of the exclusive licensing agreement between the National Football League (NFL) and the video game company, Electronic Arts (EA), in 2026. This partnership, established in 2004, has placed a stranglehold on the football gaming industry. While EA has used this exclusive arrangement to launch multiple editions of its popular Madden NFL game, it has faced criticisms for lack of significant improvements and innovations in recent years. However, this does not stop EA from launching their yearly Madden games, with the base editions costing around $70 USD at launch.

EA's game monopoly leaves no room for competition and reduces chances for innovation in football gaming, with each yearly release being viewed as nothing more than a cash-grab with minor tweaks. Other criticisms include how EA's Madden Ultimate Team (MUT), which is a staple for every Madden game, is seen as having paywalls or "lootbox" mechanics, similar to the controversy over Star Wars: Battlefront II, another game also made by EA. It's important to note that the Metacritic score for Madden NFL editions, which reflects the quality of the game as perceived by players, has been declining since 2016, with the user score for Madden NFL 24 coming in at 1.6, an abysmally low rating. This trend suggests a declining satisfaction among the gaming community. 

By not renewing the exclusive agreement, the NFL would encourage competition from other game developers and offer fans more choice, innovation, and potentially improved gaming experiences. Since competition breeds innovation, the NFL would be able to see more game companies create better games, and with more licenses of official NFL games, the NFL would receive more money, along with a better perception of its presence in the video game industry.

Not only is it wrong to put the American football videogame market in a monopoly, but it is also wrong to force both passionate NFL fans and video game enthusiasts to have the Madden NFL series, a buggy, micro-transaction filled mess as of its current state, be their only option when it comes to video games. Along with this, the idea that somewhat decent sales of Madden NFL correlates to widespread enjoyment of the franchise, rather showing how EA has an immoral, and potentially illegal, iron grip on this specific area of the video game market, is insanity. With that being said, we call on the NFL to reconsider its strategies for the future of football video games, beginning with the decision not to renew its exclusive licensing agreement with EA in 2026.