Is This the End of FIFA? 😳
Breaking down the World Cup Prize Money, Nike’s Latest Deal & Trump’s Hole in One
Most football fans will have had this experience…
You tear off the wrapping of your birthday present, expecting to see the FIFA game you wished for, only to be greeted by the dreaded logo of Pro Evolution Soccer! 💀
For years, PES has been trailing in the shadow of EA’s FIFA series.
The major difference between the two games comes down to image rights.
EA has been very skilled at securing the rights to use the image and names of pretty much every club and player in world football.
Konami, the creators of PES, have had some success getting the Champions League rights but failed to obtain permission to use the badges, names, and kits of most of Europe’s major teams.
While a game between Chelsea and Manchester United on FIFA is filled with realistic kits and stadiums, the equivalent match on PES has to be renamed ‘London FC vs Man Red.’
Another major plus for the EA series was the fact that FIFA gave its name to the game.
This has helped EA develop a strong sense of authenticity among fans and boosted lifetime sales to over 325 million copies. PES has sold far less at around 111 million copies.
Despite the success that EA and FIFA have enjoyed together, the FIFA name could soon be dropped in favor of the new title ‘EA Sports Football Club.’
The main reason behind this shift is money. FIFA was reportedly set to ask EA Sports for $1 billion if they wanted to keep the FIFA name for another four years, which is double the previous license agreement.
Furthermore, EA actually views the FIFA license as a restraint on their ability to grow the brand.
"As we’ve looked to the future we want to grow the franchise," explained CEO Andrew Wilson in a staff meeting, "and ironically the FIFA license has actually been an impediment to that."
With the current agreement set to end after the 2022 World Cup, EA has already submitted the name ‘EA Sports Football Club’ for a trademark.
It is important to note that dropping the FIFA name will not impact the other licenses EA holds. More specifically, they will still be able to use the names of clubs, players, stadiums, and competitions, as these are held under separate agreements. EA will simply lose the ability to call their game ‘FIFA’.
Clearly, EA sees itself as a more relevant and attractive brand for gamers than the sport’s world governing body!
🗞 Story of the Week
The $1 Billion World Cup Prize Pot Explained 💰
The Qatar World Cup promises to be the most controversial sporting event since the Will Smith vs Chris Rock championship bout.
While uncertainty remains over which team will triumph or how football’s notoriously ‘fun-loving’ fans will function under Qatar’s strict public decency rules, we do at least know how much money FIFA will distribute in prize money.
The total prize pot is determined by the amount of money FIFA is able to generate through broadcasting and sponsorship deals.
In the current cycle, FIFA has been able to generate around $7.89 billion. This can be further broken down into the following revenue categories:
📺 $3.5 billion from TV & media rights,
🍔 $2.4 billion in sponsorship and commercial deals,
🎟 $1.1 million from ticket sales & hospitality packages,
🎽 $890 million from licensing fees.
Not all of this income can be handed out as prize money, with FIFA incurring a number of large costs:
🏗 $500 million in admin costs,
🎥 $520 million for TV production costs,
👷♀️ $450 million to help organize the 2022 World Cup,
🇶🇦 $180 million awarded to the Qatar football federation,
⚽️ Various payouts to national federations to develop football infrastructure,
🤫 Bribes to government officials and handouts for senior officials.
After all of these costs, there is about $1 billion left in prize money, a 29% increase on the amount made available for the 2018 World Cup.
Technically, the national federations do not see all of this money, with around half of this pot being used up for insurance and other miscellaneous fees.
The remaining $450 million will be awarded based on two different criteria:
A guaranteed fee that each nation gets for participation ($2.5 million,)
Performance-based payment (the higher you finish the more you get.)
This performance fee varies widely, from $8 million if you are knocked out in the group stage up to $45 million if you win the entire tournament.
For those of you who simply cannot wait for some World Cup action, the Group Stage draw will happen today at around 19:00 Qatar local time.
✍️ Deal of the Week
Nike Agrees Deal with Kobe Bryant 👟
Nike and the Kobe Bryant estate have just agreed to a new deal that will see Kobe’s signature basketball shoes remain on sale.
“We’re excited to announce our partnership with Nike is going to continue!” wrote Kobe’s widow Vanessa Bryant on Instagram. “I am so proud that my husband's shoes are still the most worn by players on NBA courts and that the demand for his shoes remain so desired by his fans around the world.”
A significant part of Kobe’s legacy is tied up in those shoes, with many considering them the finest performance basketball shoes ever made.
The deal will also honor Kobe’s daughter, with 100% of the net proceeds of Gianna’s shoes going to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation set up by the Bryant estate.
Nike will also work with the estate to establish a youth basketball center in Southern California.
📱 Social Media Madness of the Week
Trump Gets a Hole in One ⛳️
Trump went from an amusing joke to a shocking cultural disaster quicker than the 2022 Oscars.
While many will be relieved that his chubby fingers are no longer close to the Nuclear button, it is fair to say that late-night comedians are missing the constant streams of comedy that his antics created.
Luckily, even when out of office, Trump is never more than five minutes away from controversy or ridicule.
Last weekend, he decided to go for a round of golf with PGA Tour legends Mike Goodes, Ken Duke, Ernie Els, and Gene Sauers.
It was during this star-studded round that Donald Trump is supposed to have hit a hole in one.
When social media users started to doubt the legitimacy of Trump’s claimed hole in one, he decided to release a truly extraordinary statement:
"Many people are asking, so I’ll give it to you now, it is 100 percent true.” began the statement.
"I hit a 5-iron, which sailed magnificently into a rather strong wind, with approximately 5 feet of cut, whereupon it bounced twice and then went clank, into the hole.
"These great tour players noticed it before I did because their eyes are slightly better, but on that one hole only, their swings weren’t.
"The match was Ernie and me (with no strokes) against Gene, Mike and Ken.
"I won’t tell you who won because I am a very modest individual, and you will then say I was bragging – and I don’t like people who brag!"
You really can’t make this stuff up!