According to a Sky News report, EA Sports is ready to sign a six-year deal with the Premier League that sits around the £488 million ($522 million) mark. The extension is said to be worth more than double the current deal. A club executive told Sky News the deal would provide the league with £80 million annually, with EA remaining the its lead partner and holder of the exclusive rights to the gaming license. This deal is good for the Premier League, as it will help to grow its global reach. The deal is also a big win for EA, as it solidifies its position as a premier provider of football (soccer) games. News of the impending extension comes after EA announced it was ending its partnership with FIFA after 30 years. A report at the time stated EA declined to renew the FIFA license after the group wanted $1 billion to ink a new deal - double the previous agreement. Due to the fizzled relations between the two bodies, the next game in the football series will be titled EA Sports FC and will bring the strength of over 300 individual licensed partners, providing players with access to over 19,000 athletes across 700 teams, in 100 stadiums and over 30 leagues around the world. EA says it will continue to stretch its portfolio by retaining and expanding current licensed football content, scaling to new experiences, and increasing access through more platforms. EA also promises to build upon “foundations of inclusivity” and innovation in new areas with womens’ soccer and grassroots football.
