Quick Hit acquires NFL license

June, 10, 2010
06/10/10
12:01
PM ET
By Jon Robinson
Quick Hit FootballQuick Hit Quick Hit has signed a deal with the NFL. Is the NFLPA next?

When EA Sports and the NFL agreed to an exclusive video game license, everyone assumed it was game over for any other company attempting to make a football title.

Not so fast.

Not only has the free online coaching sim "Quick Hit Football" thrived, signing up over one million registered users in its first five months of open beta, but now it has done the unthinkable and signed a multi-year agreement with the NFL to feature the league's teams, logos, schedules, Super Bowl, and stadiums (the players and coaches are different licenses).

So how did they do it despite EA's exclusive?

"That's a better question for EA," says Quick Hit CEO Jeff Anderson. "I don't have a copy of the contract they have with the NFL, but for us, it's a tremendous opportunity. Adding the NFL really transforms this product from a really cool Flash game to an incredibly authentic online football game. We're going to be the first mover in the space. The only place you're going to be able to play an NFL licensed game on your PC this fall is 'Quick Hit.'"

Not bad for a company that was started two years ago in a coffee shop and now employs some of the top game developers in the sports genre, including some of the key guys behind the "NFL 2K" franchise.

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Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

Jon Robinson
Jon Robinson

Ever since he first handed the ball to Bo Jackson in "Tecmo Bowl," Jon Robinson has been mesmerized by the world of sports video games. He's been covering gaming professionally for over 15 years, starting his career writing as "Johnny Ballgame" for GamePro magazine before becoming the founding editor of IGN Sports. Robinson co-wrote the book "The Madden Phenomenon," is the author of "Rumble Road: Untold Stories from Outside the Ring," and his latest work, "My Favorite Match," will be released by Simon & Schuster in June.  Email Jon » Follow Jon »

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