The FIFA series of football video games by EA Sports remains one of the most lucrative franchises in the gaming industry. The licensing deals for official club and player names have fueled the popularity of the FIFA games, making them one of the top-selling sports video game franchises worldwide. However, after failing to come to an agreement for licensed use of the FIFA name with world football’s governing body, the franchise is set to lose its popular moniker. But according to a report by Sky Sports, EA Sports is close to finalizing a mammoth deal to retain licensing rights to the Premier League, England’s top-tier football league, for which they have reportedly agreed to pay GBP 488 million ($588 million or roughly Rs. 4,861 crore) for the licensing rights of all 20 Premier League clubs.
According to the report, all 20 Premier League clubs were informed about the new six-year deal with EA Sports during a meeting. The deal, worth approximately GBP 488 million, is reportedly close to being finalised. The new deal is expected to generate over GBP 80 million (roughly Rs. 796 crore) for the Premier League annually, making EA Sports the league’s key partner who will retain exclusive licensing rights for popular clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea, among others, which have a huge global fanbase. The new deal is also reportedly worth more than double the existing agreement between the Premier League and EA.
The Premier League is football’s most popular and most-watched club competition in the world, thanks to its financial might, which attracts the best players, managers, and commercial partners. Its financial muscle comes from lucrative overseas and domestic broadcast rights, which are reported to be worth over £10 billion.
EA Sports announced last year that it was parting ways with FIFA after a nearly three-decade-long partnership. FIFA had reportedly demanded $1 billion from EA every four years to continue using its name. The EA Sports FIFA video game series will take on the EA Sports FC moniker starting 2023. FIFA 23, which was released in September last year, will be the last EA Sports football game to carry the FIFA moniker.
Despite the name change, EA’s annual football video game series remains one of the most profitable franchises in gaming. As of 2021, the FIFA series of games has sold 325 million copies. FIFA 23 had a record-breaking launch in September last year, with over 10.3 million players logging in to play the game in its first week, which is the highest in the franchise’s history. FIFA 23 was released on all major platforms, including PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X. The next EA Sports football game is expected to launch later this year.
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Eugen Boglaru is an AI aficionado covering the fascinating and rapidly advancing field of Artificial Intelligence. From machine learning breakthroughs to ethical considerations, Eugen provides readers with a deep dive into the world of AI, demystifying complex concepts and exploring the transformative impact of intelligent technologies.
