In short, video games are a key element in promoting the brand of the big teams. The production companies have preferred not to release official statements on the subject of the Superlega and how this could change their plans in the coming years. The economic impact of the sector on the balance sheets of football clubs and federations, however, suggests that it is only a matter of time before the picture becomes clearer.
In fact, in FIFA’s 2020 budget, recently presented, the most significant portion of the revenues linked to the sale of licenses (about 133 million euros) came from the gaming sector and it is not surprising that the international football federation has recently inaugurated eSports tournaments with his brand. The birth of the Super League could therefore lead to a significant reduction in the value of the licenses of the federations that will lose the top teams (in addition to FIFA, also Uefa and the national championships risk the same fate) and consequently would reduce the interest in games that those licenses hold.
In the case of Fifa of Electronic Arts, the “Ultimate team” game mode would also suffer an important impact in which gamers buy virtual “packs” of stickers to find their favorite champions and create their own team. A method, disputed because it is associated with gambling, but which has proved to be a gold mine for the American producer. To get the names of the top players and their teams back, agreements with the new league will be needed. In addition to the economic agreements, the doubts related to the coexistence of the various circuits will then be resolved: the teams excluded from international competitions will not be able to compete there even in the videogame world for the aforementioned licensing reasons. There is therefore a risk that the teams in question may not be present in the same video games. “There is still a long way to go (to understand what will happen in the sector)” Miles Jacobson, head of the videogame, sentenced on Twitter. Football Manager.