Why Haaland Doesn't Play FIFA 🎮
Plus Apple's new strategy to win the streaming wars.
Welcome to Athletic Interest,
FIFA is one of the most recognisable brands on the planet. This is partly because it’s the name of football’s governing body. The organization that runs the World Cup.Â
But if you ask a random person on the street, the EA made FIFA game series is probably the first thing that comes to mind.
FIFA has been one of the most popular games on any platform for more than 20 years. Hundreds of Millions of copies have been sold. Game developer EA has collected more than 20 billion dollars in revenue.Â
That was until 2023, when EA decided to kill the FIFA series. FIFA23 was the end of an era. EA Sports FC 24 was the future.Â
Why would EA remove the branding of their most popular franchise?Â
In our latest video, we explain how FIFA’s desire for more money, and EA’s quest for freedom resulted in a billion dollar breakup. And, why a clever strategy will prevent anyone from challenging EA’s dominance in football gaming.Â
In other news, Apple has just launched an interesting new strategy in its fight for a share of the sports market.Â
A new app, Apple Sports, allows iPhone users to track scores, game data and betting odds for their favourite teams and leagues. More importantly, the app will also link to the live stream of the game.
Apple is using this to push its coverage of MLS. It hooks MLS fans in by giving them a free and convenient way to follow their team. Once hooked, it offers access to the live stream, for a fee. Simple yet effective.
You can learn more about Apple’s strategy for live sports in our recent video.