EA CEO Andrew Wilson’s leaked comments to the press gave us a clearer understanding of why the company is considering terminating its licensing agreement with FIFA. The comments came after EA publicly announced in October that it was reviewing its deal with FIFA and considering renaming the popular soccer franchise. The comments, which seem to be the CEO’s most candid words ever, were made at a company meeting last November and were made public in a report from VGC this week.
Wilson says EA thinks the FIFA branding deal is unnecessarily restrictive, while not providing enough value to the company. “Basically, what we get from FIFA in a year without a World Cup is four letters on the front of the box,” the CEO says. While the
FIFA agreement gives EA access to the World Cup every four years, there are over 300 other license agreements that allow the company to use the names and likenesses of players, teams and leagues without the need for an agreement with FIFA. exists.
Wilson criticizes the FIFA deal to place restrictions on what EA can do with its games. Beyond 11v11 matches, it’s getting harder to create game modes, partner with other brands that aren’t affiliated with FIFA, or “dive deeper and broader into digital ecosystems around the fabric of football,” according to Wilson.
NYT previously reported that the cost of the deal was also an important factor in EA and FIFA negotiations. FIFA is reportedly asking for more than double what it currently receives from EA, bringing the value of the deal to over $1 billion in four years. “We don’t want to pay more than this license is worth,” Wilson says. “But it’s not about that, it’s really about our ability to deliver the games and experiences our fans want in a timely manner.” According to
NYT, EA and FIFA’s current 10-year agreement will expire after the Qatar World Cup, which will be held from November 21 to December 18. EA doesn’t seem to have decided yet what to name its new game if it loses the rights to the FIFA name. However, the NYT previously reported in October that it had trademarked the phrase EA Sports FC in the UK and EU.
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