EA CEO explains why company may ditch FIFA branding in leaked staff comments

Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Andrew Wilson explained why the company is considering ending its licensing deal with the game. In October, the comments came after the company said it was considering changing the title of its popular soccer franchise. The comments, which are the CEO's most candid remarks yet, were made in a company meeting last November and made public in a report from VGC this week.

Wilson said that the company feels that the branding deal is too restrictive and not giving enough value. The company has over 300 other licensing agreements which allow it to use the names and likenesses of players, teams, and leagues without needing a deal with FIFA.

Wilson suggested that the deal imposes restrictions on what the company can do with its games. Wilson says that it has struggled to build game modes beyond 11v11 matches, to partner with other non-FIFA affiliated brands, or to expand into the digital ecosystems around the fabric of football. The New York Times reported last year that Electronic Arts is trying to expand into other areas like showing highlights of real-world games and offering digital items like NFTs.

Wilson said that they couldn't branch into areas that players wanted because of the name of the game. The Verge asked for comment from the company, but they didn't respond immediately.

The cost of the deal is a key factor in the negotiations between the two companies. The value of the deal will be over $1 billion over the course of four years, according to reports. Wilson said the company doesn't want to pay more money than the license is worth.

The current 10-year deal between the two companies is set to end after the World Cup in December. The New York Times reported in October that it had trademarked the phrase "EA Sports FC" in the UK and EU, if it loses the rights to the name.