EA SPORTS. WE OWN THE GAME.

Hope you liked Madden 2005 because that’s all you’re getting!

The deal, one EA admits to having lobbied for over the past few years, is an exclusive five-year licensing deal granting EA the sole rights to the NFL’s teams, stadiums, and players.

Just for purposes of comparison, DirectTV paid the NFL $3.5 billion for a similar agreement. Ever wonder how much money is in computer gaming? There’s a clue.

(Update: Ubiq runs the numbers. $3.5 billion is waaay too much for an exclusive deal, even for Madden games. Shrug. How much WOULD you pay to put all your competitors out of business, anyway?)