EA Paid NFL Players Union $35 Million in 2007
We always knew that EA's Madden franchise was a cash cow, but we didn't really appreciate the scale of the dollars involved.
Until now.
Despite winning a $28 million federal court judgment against the NFLPA in November, militant NFL retirees continue to play offense against their former union; they're digging up all sorts of dirt.
During the trial last fall, GamePolitics reported on damning e-mails between EA execs and NFLPA officials which showed the Madden publisher and the union conspiring to keep a lid on payments to retired players.
Now, former Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Dave Pear has posted the NFLPA's 2007 LM-2, a report required by the U.S. Department of Labor. The numbers contained therein are eye-popping, particularly EA's licensing payments to the NFLPA: $35,141,950.
That figure does not include EA's licensing fees to the NFL itself for use of team names, logos, uniforms, stadiums and other data. We'd guess that the league makes more than the players union on the deal.
Big money, indeed.
The NFLPA is expected to appeal the $28 million verdict to a higher court.