EA Sports reportedly close to signing ‘£500m deal’ with Premier League
The new deal would begin as the FIFA series is rebranded EA FC
EA Sports is reportedly close to signing a commercial deal with the Premier League, which could be worth close to £500m.
Sky News reports that all 20 Premier League clubs have been made aware of the deal, which would last for six years, and would be worth “about £488m,” according to those close to the deal.
“One club executive said it would deliver more than £80m annually and would consist of EA remaining as the league’s lead partner as well as retaining its exclusive electronic game license,” according to Sky.
The Premier League’s current deal with EA sees the publisher sponsor several elements of match day experience, including the EA Sports logo appearing on referee jerseys.
Premier League integration with FIFA’s largest mode, Ultimate Team, includes Premier League-back player awards appearing as special items in the mode.
The deal could be similar to the one that the company signed with the Spanish football league, La Liga, last year.
EA’s deal with La Liga includes title naming rights for all LaLiga competitions, “a complete rebrand of LaLiga with EA SPORTS including all logos, graphics, fonts and other visual elements”, while also delivering “new in-game integration, broadcast highlights, and joint commitments to supporting grassroots initiatives.”
EA will rebrand its football games as EA Sports FC, later this year, ending a near-30-year relationship with the footballing body.
The company insists that despite losing the FIFA brand, its games will not change that much. Thanks to over 300 licensing deals, “the same great experiences, modes, leagues, tournaments, clubs and athletes” will be included in EA Sports FC, it said last year.
