Well well well, looky here. 27 Million Settlement Announced in EA Madden Price-fixing

[McMadden]

$27 Million Settlement Announced in EA Madden Price-fixing Lawsuit.

http://teamholeshot.com/EASettlementMotion.pdf

http://terminalgamer.com/2012/07/20/...ixing-lawsuit/

Attorneys representing purchasers of Electronic Arts, Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) (“EA”) football video games have reached a proposed settlement over claims that the gaming giant violated antitrust and consumer protection laws and overcharged consumers for the games.

The case, originally filed June 5, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that EA violated antitrust and consumer protection laws by establishing exclusive license agreements with the National Football League (NFL), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the Arena Football League (AFL).

What stood out - The proposed settlement must be approved by the court before it is final:

The proposed settlement, filed with the court on July 19, 2012, would establish a $27 million fund for consumers who purchased Madden NFL, NCAA Football or AFL games published by EA.

Consumers who purchased a sixth generation title (GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox) may receive up to $6.79 per game.

It also stipulates that EA will not sign an exclusive license arrangement with the AFL for five years and will not renew its current agreement with the NCAA, which expires in 2014, for at least five years.

It also stipulates that EA will not sign an exclusive license arrangement with the AFL for five years and will not renew its current agreement with the NCAA, which expires in 2014, for at least five years.

[MonoxideChild]

$27 Million Settlement Announced in EA Madden Price-fixing Lawsuit.

http://teamholeshot.com/EASettlementMotion.pdf

http://terminalgamer.com/2012/07/20/...ixing-lawsuit/



What stood out - The proposed settlement must be approved by the court before it is final:

EA owes me some ****ing cash. I'll let them slide on 03 and 05.

[McMadden]

EA owes me some ****ing cash. I'll let them slide on 03 and 05.

It only goes back to Madden 2005 to the present. So I still have 2005 - 2007 PS2, and boycotted 2008 (30 fps PS3 version my @55!) 2 bucks for the PS360 versions.

[JoeJGibbs]

Would've been better if they would've stopped them from holding on the NFL contract..

[Nevada_Ballin]

Pulling excerpts from the pdf:

Excluded from the proposed settlement class are (1) ompersons purchasing directly from Electronic Arts; (2) persons purchasing used copies of the relevant video games, and (3) Electronic Arts’ employees, officers, directors, legal representatives, and wholly or partly owned subsidiaries or
affiliated companies.

Allocation of Settlement Funds
Payments will be made to Settlement Class Members on a pro rata basis out of the Net
Settlement Fund (the amount available after deducting payment of the costs of administering the
settlement, including the costs of notice, attorney’s fees, costs of the litigation and any payments
allowed by the Court to the Named Plaintiffs).


Payments will differ depending on the type of
video game title purchased. Settlement Class Members who purchased Sixth Generation Titles will
(upon filing a valid and timely Claim Form) be entitled to a cash payment of up to $6.79 per unit
purchased, up to a maximum of eight units ($54.32).


Settlement Class members who purchased Seventh Generation Titles will be entitled (upon filing a valid and timely Claim Form) to a cash
settlement payment of up to $1.95 per unit purchased, up to a maximum of eight units ($15.60).

If the timely and valid claims exceed the Net Settlement Fund, the Claims will be reduced pro rata so
that all claims may be paid from the Net Settlement Fund.

In the event the Net Settlement Fund is not exhausted by timely and valid Claims paid, the
parties will attempt in good faith to identify Sixth Generation purchasers who have provided
Electronic Arts with a physical address but have not submitted a claim, and send payments to such
individuals on a pro rata basis, without the necessity of a Claim Form.

If six months after the mailing of the checks described above, the Net Settlement Fund is
still not exhausted, a cy pres payment shall be made to Child’s Play, a 501(c)(3) entity, in the
amount that will exhaust the Net Settlement Fund.


Notice and Implementation of the Settlement
Under the Settlement Agreement, Class Counsel will provide direct notice to Settlement
Class Members where possible by (1) e-mail notice (where available) or (2) postcard notice (if an
e-mail address is not available, but a physical address is), in forms substantially similar to the
forms filed with this motion.

The parties believe that 53 percent of class members will receive
direct notice.

In addition, the Settlement Agreement provides for a content-neutral settlement
website (www.easportslitigation.com) managed by a third-party administrator, which will provide
further information about the settlement, including relevant pleadings and settlement documents.

Notice will also be given by publication to the extent necessary to meet Constitutional or statutory
requirements, substantially in the form filed with this motion.

Electronic Arts will also provide notice by mail to state agencies and the U.S. Attorney General pursuant to the Class Action Fairness Act

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Am I to understand that the NFL Exclusive stays in place? The are only barred from NCAA and Arena Football?


.

[nothasoul]

Would've been better if they would've stopped them from holding on the NFL contract..

That was the only thing i cared about

[resnor]

How are people supposed to prove they bought these games? I know I don't have receipts still. LOL.

[GiantNFC7]

McMadden good luck with your 68 cent settlement. I truly hope it goes a long way.