LaLiga changes its sponsor and is linked to e-sports
From the 23/24 season, what was known until now as LaLiga Santander will be renamed LaLiga EA Sports FC, once the League has successfully completed the transition to electronic sports so fashionable today. EA Sports, known worldwide for the development of the FIFA video game that also changes its name from next year, will be the sponsor of the top competition of Spanish football at the rate of 30 million euros a year.
LaLiga joins its destiny to that of electronic sports with the new agreement reached with EA Sports for the 23/24 campaign. EA will name the top official Spanish football competition. ©dimascardoso/Pixabay
A major economic boost
The news was published exclusively by the sports newspaper Marca and the sports world immediately echoed the agreement. EA Sports has acquired the sponsorship of the Spanish professional football LeAgue as of the 2023/24 season, thus replacing the current sponsor, Banco Santander, which, however, will continue to be linked to the LaLiga, according to sources of the same.
The American company linked to the video game industry is known worldwide for the development of the saga FIFA which, oddly enough, also changes its name next year. From 2023 the well-known football video game competition will be renamed EA Sports FC. This means, on the one hand, that the agreement with FIFA was not renewed due to the economic demands of the international football federation, and, on the other hand, that Electronic Arts (EA Sports) has seen the opportunity to develop the video game as its own brand .
EA's sponsorship of LaLiga has a lot to do with the break with FIFA and the desire of the American firm to develop the video game at other levels in the context of a new management of the brand. The professional football League was an attractive space for the development of the new brand and LaLiga knew it could make the competition more profitable if you linked your brand to that of cutting-edge technological platforms which have a great reception among the younger population. Football and video games, the perfect combination.
According to information, the 17 million with which Banco Santander contributes will become 30 million, the new figure that EA Sports will contribute annually for becoming the new title sponsor of the League. This will entail the creation of new visual elements, logos, marketing, etc. A very lucrative agreement for the entity chaired by Javier Tebas, a well-known far-right militant.
EA Sports will name the top professional Spanish football competitions , although not to the women's competition, the First Iberdrola, as it is a different entity. The competitions sponsored by EA Sports are as follows:
- First Division
- Second Division
- eLaLiga
- LaLiga Promises
“The potential scope and scale of this partnership is deeply exciting, as is the opportunity to deliver incredible fan experiences through in-game innovation, interactive entertainment and grassroots initiatives.” – David Jackson , Vice President, EA Sports FC, at press release
To the statements of the vice president of EA Sports Javier Tebas added that the agreement reached expands the collaboration maintained for years and means a qualitative leap "from the point of view of innovation, merging the virtual and real world of the king sport, with which to inspire especially the youngest” .
What will happen to the loot boxes now?
If the Royal Decree 958/2020 about the advertising of the game meant that the sports sponsorships of the bookmakers passed to a better life, all this started from the intention of the DGOJ and the government through the Ministry of Consumer Affairs to create safe gaming environments .
However, the executive can little cope with such fashion trends as the cryptocurrencies that have invaded Spanish football and that they are potentially more dangerous than casino games .
Something similar happens with the loot boxes that are a fundamental feature of many video games like the same FIFA from EA Sports. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has just presented a Preliminary Draft Law with which it is expected to regulate this tool of electronic games that for many it's not much different than slot machines as far as its mechanics and participatory logic are concerned.
Would LaLiga be becoming sponsored by an industry that encourages participation in gambling through mechanisms such as those of gambling machines ? This is a disturbing issue.
