The Premier League has made games software provider Electronic Arts, best known for its Fifa Soccer game which has sold 100m copies worldwide, its first official sports technology partner. It is the latest in a series of sponsorship deals with US groups. Five clubs are owned or part-owned by US investors (Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester United, Sunderland).
The Premier League has made games software provider Electronic Arts, best known for its Fifa Soccer game which has sold 100m copies worldwide, its first official sports technology partner. It is the latest in a series of sponsorship deals with US groups. Five clubs are owned or part-owned by US investors (Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester United, Sunderland).
EA Sports was already the Premier League’s computer games licensee and its games license has been renewed for four years. The combined value of the deals is thought to be worth between £10m and £15m. Sponsorship deals make up about 5 per cent of the Premier League’s £1bn annual turnover.
EA Sports will sponsor an enhanced player tracking performance index, giving fans data such as the distances playes run, the speed of shots and the height they jump. It is hoped that this will help the sales of EA’s football games in the US. English fans are a little suspicious of statistics, as the slightly derogatory epithet ‘statto’ shows. Americans, on the other hand, need to statistically analyse everything and find soccer too fluid (which for many fans is part of its attraction).
The other Premiership sponsors are:
- Barclays, title sponsor
- Nike, ball supplier
- Wrigley’s, chewing gum
- Sporting ID, badges
- Topps Merlin, trading cards
- Lucozade, energy drinks
- New Football Pools, football predictions