How EA Sports Went From ‘In The Game’ Into Pop Culture And Beyond

“EA Sports: It’s in the game.”

It’s also in music, movies, TV, fashion, pop culture, and potentially soon the metaverse.

The division of Electronic Arts (EA) in charge of developing and publishing storied video game franchises including Madden and FIFA/FC as well as titles around basketball, baseball, hockey, golf and F1, has leveraged its platform and reach to serve as the glue to connect millions of fans across the world—not only with their favorite sports, teams and athletes, but, more importantly, with each other.

“EA Sports is more than the video games we create,” said Andrea Hopelain, EA Sports GM and SVP of publishing. “For more than 300 million fans around the globe, we are sport, entertainment, culture and community. To do this, we are intentional around delivering partnerships that reflect the way our audiences interact and by investing in technologies that drive deeper immersion in our experiences.”

The focus for EA and EA Sports hasn’t just been about selling video games, though they’ve been doing a pretty good job at that; EA posted a GAAP net revenue of approximately $7.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. But it’s also about creating and enhancing a community of fans, whether they’re new to a sport or have been diehards their entire lives.

By working with brand partners like Nike, Apple, Uber, PepsiCo and Amazon Prime to engage users in the game as well as the real world, EA Sports is able to create a winning ecosystem that transcends sports and has expanded into film/TV, fashion, music and more.

EA Sports FC, its most popular and successful title which was rebranded as EA Sports FC in the latest edition, gives players an opportunity to engage with and learn about more than 19,000 players, 700 clubs and 30 leagues from Argentina to Turkey thanks to 300 partners in that franchise alone.

Not only can EA Sports FC introduce gamers to the world’s most popular sport, it serves as a springboard to grow the game in the real world.

The EA Sports FC Futures initiative opened grassroots soccer to more than 170,000 people in its inaugural year in 2023 through free-to-access tutorials to be replicated on real-world fields, the creation and refurbishment of 11 soccer fields, and by providing 12,000 soccer balls and other essential equipment to grassroots clubs, coaches and children.

On May 22, EA Sports announced it will take things one step further with the creation of Namibia Futures—a multi-year partnership with UNICEF that will utilize the power of soccer to create social change in the African nation by reaching more than 46,000 children and adolescents.

“We really see EA Sports as an important piece in the culture and lifestyle of each sport as well,” EA Sports president Cam Weber said. “… We’re kind of like a front door for sports fans in many cases where youth will be introduced to a sport through the digital interactive form and they’ll become bigger fans in the real world in terms of watching those sports, teams, leagues and players.

“It can also help drive their interest in participation as well.”

Beyond the FC franchise, EA Sports leverages its IP, partners and platform to transcend the gaming industry.

Madden was at the center of Fantasy Football, a 2022 movie released on Paramount+ where a young girl learns she can control her father’s on-field performances by playing the video game. EA Sports also has a partnership with Apple for the highly anticipated (and expensive) Brad Pitt-led Formula 1 movie expected to be released in 2025.

EA Sports’ F1 franchise hopes to complement the increasing interest for the premier racing series that’s exploded in popularity in the U.S. thanks to the Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive. The game’s impact and importance isn’t lost on partners hoping to engage new, younger audiences.

“There have been many recent landmarks in F1, all happening simultaneously, that have perpetuated the growth of the sport in the last five years, particularly in the U.S.,” said Oliver Hughes, CMO of Red Bull Advanced Technologies. “… EA Sports is another notable landmark, with its player network of over 350 million greatly expanding the ability for Oracle Red Bull Racing to interact and reward fans.

“EA Sports also drives fandom amongst a new, younger generation of fans and families through new platforms that are already part of people’s daily lives and routines. And of course, where fans go, brands will follow, signaling F1’s continued dominance as the world’s hottest entertainment property.”

Whether EA Sports is introducing fans to sports through its games or real-world activations and events like Madden Bowl, which was resurrected ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, expanding and engaging its global community remains top priority.

On the gaming front, EA Sports franchises offer prime real estate for brand partners to get in front of millions of eyeballs. Such is the case in FC 24, in particular, where brands like Nike, Uber Eats and Amazon Prime are clearly visible. Even beloved fictional characters like Ted Lasso, Coach Beard and AFC Richmond made a cameo in the best-selling sports video game franchise in the world according to Guinness World Records.

In-game soundtracks not only provide an opportunity for emerging artists to benefit from a global platform, but they also celebrate popular favorites across pop, rock, hip hop, reggaeton, techno and more.

From a fashion standpoint, EA Sports, especially FC, gives brands a chance to showcase and release their latest products or highlight special-edition apparel, including new team kits. EA Sports and Nike Virtual Studios announced in June 2023 it will bring new ways for members of .Swoosh, Nike’s new digital community experience, to express their personal style through gameplay.

Blending the real world and the virtual one has been a point of emphasis for EA Sports as well as many brands looking to engage as many young people as possible.

While the metaverse seemed to be the new gold rush a few years ago, brands are still seeking innovative ways to engage with and connect fans regardless of physical location. EA Sports is making it a priority to find ways to reduce the friction of how a player connects into his or her community.

“It’s not just about playing games now—it’s about play, watch, create, share and connect,” Weber said. “We want to keep evolving our games into social experiences where you’re not just playing by yourself, you’re playing and connecting with your friends.”