EA Close to Settlement in Madden NFL Antitrust Class Action

 

Electronic Arts, Inc. is close to reaching a settlement deal that will resolve a class action lawsuit accusing EA of making exclusive deals with the National Football League that allowed EA to monopolize the football video game market and price-gouge customers who purchased its flagship game, “Madden NFL.”

According to a court filing, EA has reached “a settlement in principal” and intends to negotiate a definitive class action settlement agreement within 45 days.

The settlement will resolve a 2008 antitrust class action lawsuit that claims EA violated antitrust and consumer protection laws by holding exclusive license agreements with the NFL to market NFL-branded football software. The alleged deal drove out competitors and enabled EA to charge 70 percent more for “Madden NFL,” according to the class action lawsuit.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken certified the EA antitrust class action lawsuit in 2010 on behalf of anyone who bought Madden NFL, NCAA or Arena Football League software starting with a release date of 2005. EA denies the allegations in the class action lawsuit.

The potential class action settlement amount wasn’t disclosed in court filings, but EA said in an SEC filing Monday that it is reserving “a $27 million expense related to a potential settlement of an ongoing litigation matter.”

 

Keep checking Top Class Actions for details on how to file a claim for the EA Madden NFL Class Action Lawsuit Settlement when the agreement is announced.

 

The case is Geoffrey Pecover v. Electronic Arts, Case No. C08-2820, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, Oakland.