The top division of Spanish football, La Liga, has entered into a partnership with EA Sports.
According to Marca (via Eurogamer), the multi-year partnership will cost EA $30,505,500 (€30 million) per year. The partnership will give EA Sports the naming and brand rights for La Liga, including the “logos, graphics, fonts and other visual elements.” The deal will include La Liga, La Liga 2, La Liga Promises (youth competition) and eLa Liga (esports).
The partnership deal follows the split between EA Sports and FIFA which will see the iconic football simulation series renamed EA Sports FC after its next instalment. One of the reasons EA decided to end its partnership with FIFA was the restrictions the governing body placed on the developer. EA was previously restricted from courting new partnerships due to FIFA’s sensitivity surrounding commercial partners.
Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, reflected on the new partnership in a statement released by the league, “EA Sports represents the cutting edge of interactive football experiences while LaLiga is at the forefront of actual football competitions with unmatched in-person, broadcast and digital fan experiences. We have been strategic partners with EA Sports for years and this expanded agreement is a commitment to providing the next level of innovation to all football fans, a fusion between the virtual and real worlds of football.”
David Jackson of EA Sports made a similar statement, saying the “visible reach and scale of this partnership is deeply exciting” and the studio would be able to deliver additional experiences to players as a result.
EA recently announced a partnership with Serie A side Juventus that would allow them to access the branding rights of the Turin-based club for use in FIFA 23. It is unknown if this partnership will be upheld when FIFA becomes EA Sports FC.
The partnership between EA Sports and La Liga will begin with the 2023/24 season.
As for the final instalment of the series, FIFA 23 will be released on September 30 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Google Stadia and Nintendo Switch.
