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EA Sports is close to sealing a deal believed to be worth almost £500 million (~$603 million) with the Premier League. Sky News reports that all 20 of the English top flight’s clubs have been briefed on the contract, which will allow the video game publisher to remain a key league partner and exclusively incorporate its branding into its renamed EA Sports FC series for the next six years.
The extension is believed to be worth more than double the company’s previous contract, underlining the global importance of the league. Major clubs outside of the Premier League, such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus, are becoming increasingly concerned they can’t compete commercially with the clout of the English top flight – prompting ongoing discussions about some kind of European Super League.
But for EA Sports, retaining rights to the Premier League will be crucial as it cuts ties with FIFA and looks to rebrand its iconic video game franchise. It’s worth noting this deal does not include player image rights, but will allow it to continue to sponsor awards like Player of the Month and also include the Premier League’s logos and league format within its games.
[source skysports.com]
Comments 22
Can someone explain to someone who hasn't followed the drama for a while what exactly the loss of the FIFA license means for EA?
The logo and branding is gone.
The official national teams are a no no, I guess.
But didn't all the other leagues and players already need specific licenses?
@Olmaz
It's actually EA that cuts ties with FIFA, mainly due to FIFA's shady dealings under Blatter/Platini and co.
The Premier League is under UEFA so they have a different thing to FIFA and can set up their own licences. FIFA was used because it's the global body under which Football is housed under. So it made sense to have it as the title as it incorporated quite a few leagues and is higher than the national/continental boards.
I believe player images are slightly different, but I don't understand the licences for players.
@Olmaz They don't actually lose much at all really. Obviously they can't call the game FIFA anymore (which is the big one), and they can't include the World Cup.
That's more or less it really.
@SolaceCreed Is that why they split ties with them? That has to be commended if so. I thought it was because FIFA was demanding double this year for license naming rights. Could be both I guess...
@Jey887
Yeah, I think FIFA's demanding of more money when they'd been caught siphoning money to begin with didn't help matters.
Makes sense, I always felt Fifa games associated itself with the premier league and with EA doing their version this year going forward it just makes sense.
@Jey887 Fifa wanted 1bil. EA wouldnt pay.
if EA used the Blatter excuse that was EA looking for positive spin. in reality 0 to do with it.
I am still looking forward to that other football game that was suppose to come out in September. Whatever the name of it was. Also 2K is supposedly making another soccer game for FIFA, so interesting to see the the outcome.
2K was the one to kill EA's live series, so hopefully they will deliver on football gameplay too.
@Wheatly
I learned the other day that The Premier League is a 'company' and when a team is promoted into it, they get a share of the company and lose that share when/if they are relegated. Perhaps this too has some relevance to the ease with which EA made the deal.
https://www.premierleague.com/about
EA with wild hearts, dead space remake and star wars are off a good start. They realize they can't hang on to sports games all the time. Also it takes two.
Lets see if they can make Bioware and DICE great again.
EA is starting to turn it back again.
@Wheatly Thanks a lot for the lengthy reply, very enlightening! : )
EA Football Club 24, here we go
@Wheatly Marc oversaturn!
Used to love all the unlicensed players names like that! 😂
Just hurry up and strip Man City of their trophies and relegate them. Juventus did less than them and got punished for it. No other punishment will do or it will send the wrong message. A fine and points docked is no deterent if you're amassing years worth of trophies
@riceNpea Someone isn't a City fan 😂 although I think you need to actually be found guilty before any punishment can be handed down
@TedLassoNikes I'm a football fan and City have a £400 million pounds hole in their expenditure they won't be able to explain. Juventus only had a 50 million pound discrepancy and they were stripped of titles and relegated. Clubs need to know they can't run clubs like that. When those owners leave clubs can go bust that's why the law is there to protect them from this kind of wild spending.
The FIFA name is poison. Everything they've done for the last 40 years plus has been corrupt and worrying. Qatar being awarded the last World Cup was just the poo flavoured icing on a giant, multi tiered cake made of poo. As a United fan I'm distraught seeing the likes of anyone funded by a state guilty of human rights atrocities bidding for my club.
As a football fan and football gamer I'm pleased to see a separation from my favourite sports game and my favourite sport. FIFA demanding double the amount they had previously may have been the catalyst for EA, but the positive result is the same.
Optimistic about this change to be honest, FIFA are one of the most openly corrupt bodies out there after all!
@Bamila Now this is promising RE 2K. EA Fifa is an exceptional product overall but is marred by lazy developent cycles and with no real competition and little reason to truly innovate each year much like Madden, it's far from perfect. It's hard to blame them as I'm sure someone at the top makes the dev decisions but EA need competition like PES provided in the early 2000's. One product will likely dominate licensing unfortunately but I for one preferred the gameplay of PES for almost 15 years. I also don't have time for career modes as an adult with an interest in many game genres so a casual kickabout with great gameplay is preferred.
NFL got $1.5 billion for 5 year commitment plus $500 million committed to marketing. Premier league deal seems light assuming this is also a long term deal.
@riceNpea Juve were stripped of titles and relegated for match fixing. They have been docked points this time for similar discrepancies to City - at the discretion of their own domestic association, which is now under review because its seems the panel were clearly baying for blood.
I'm not a City fan so ultimately don't care, but I doubt there is an organisation of that size on the whole planet who isn't hiding money - including the Premier League itself. They could have picked on any club and found something.
@papa_frezz they could have and now will have to as I'm sure Man City's lawyers will bring that point up.
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