FIFA No More? EA Sports Ready To Rebrand Marquee Title

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For over a quarter of a century, EA Sports signature football game has gone under the FIFA brand. The Federation Internationale de Football Association has become synonymous with the game, which is a massive hit as both an esports game, as well as with the gaming community in general.

However, if you are thinking about looking for the latest FIFA betting, then you may well have to change your search terms very shortly, as EA Sports are believed to be taking the first steps towards a major rebrand of its signature soccer title.

Press Release On October 7

There had been rumours since early October that Electronic Arts were considering a potential name change. However, those rumours became more substantial on the 7th October when the company released a statement that explained how they were “exploring the idea of renaming our global EA SPORTS football games.”

Image Credits | EA Sports

This previously unthinkable move, especially given now that the game, regardless of what version you play, is known almost everywhere simply as “FIFA”, stems from EA Sports have begun discussions towards a review of the company’s “naming rights agreement with FIFA”.

It is alleged that in these talks between EA Sports and FIFA, that the football organisation has asked for a fee of $1 billion for the company to have the naming rights. A price that EA Sports clearly, and rightfully, feel is excessive.

Especially when you consider that FIFA were asking for a $1 billion fee to be paid every four years and that the federation wanted to limit the way that EA Sports could monetize the game following on from its sale.

It is this extraordinary asking price that seems to have prompted EA Sports to consider other names for its hugely popular football title.

Trademark Applications

While fans of the series of games have been busy on social media coming up with potentially new titles for the game, a number of trademark applications made initially in the United Kingdom on the 1st October and then across Europe and the United States a few days later, give a hint as to what the new game could be called.

EA Sports have filed a trademark for “EA SPORTS FC”, a name which would mean that the company have naming rights for the franchise. Although it is hard to imagine FIFA gamers adopting “EA SPORTS” or something similar as an equivalent.

Another possibility is ‘FURY SOCCER” which was an application for a trade mark made by EA Sports back in November 2020 and which nothing has been made of as yet.

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Image Credits | EA Sports

Player Likenesses And Team Names

It is important to note here that if the rebrand of the game does go ahead, then it will not impact on the company’s ability to use player likenesses, names, official stadiums, team names and other similar licenses.

EA has had the foresight to negotiate separate deals for these features and these are not dependent on FIFA holding the naming rights to the game.

With the release in 2022 of EA Sports College Football and EA Sports PGA Tour, it would seem likely that EA SPORTS FC is at least one name that the company are considering for the rebrand.

It is important that the company gets it right. FIFA is hugely popular as an esport and many people engage with esports betting, live streaming and online tournaments, as well as enjoying features of the game such as the Career Mode and Ultimate Team.

It is therefore that EA Sports get the name right if they want their game to catch on within the community.