AC Milan has struck a multi-year partnership with Electronic Arts (EA) which sees the Rossoneri become exclusive to EA Sports’ FIFA franchise.
As part of the deal, which is expected to ‘deliver innovative, world-class entertainment’ for both entities’ global audiences, fans of AC Milan will only be able to virtually play as the Serie A side in FIFA’s upcoming releases. Additionally, EA Sports will become a premium partner of AC Milan throughout the duration of the deal.
Casper Stylsvig, Chief Revenue Officer of AC Milan stated: “We are delighted to welcome EA Sports to the AC Milan family as a Premium Partner. This partnership is symbolic of our commitment to delivering world class interactive experiences to our fans all over the world.
“As a market leader in the world of gaming, in EA Sports we have the perfect partner to help us continue on our journey of engaging and exciting the next generation of Rossoneri fans.”
According to a statement issued by AC Milan and EA, the Serie A side is currently one of the most popular clubs for in-game play. Through club legends such as Kakà and Andriy Shevchenko, who have been prominently featured in the FIFA franchise, EA Sports and AC Milan have enjoyed a strong relationship on-and-off the field for years.
“This partnership with AC Milan is a testament to our commitment to bring more authentic interactive experiences to sports fans across the globe,” added Nick Wlodyka, Vice President & GM, EA Sports FIFA.
“As a highly decorated and iconic football club, we look forward to offering AC Milan fans many years of innovative and interactive FIFA experiences to come.”
Global partnerships between game franchises and football clubs have become more and more common in recent years, especially as titles look to secure exclusive rights to names, players and branding opportunities. Last year FIFA’s rival PES secured a multi-year deal with Juventus which caused the Italian champion to be renamed Piemonte Calcio in FIFA 20.
Additionally, in the same year, FIFA also struck a similar deal with now Premier League champions Liverpool.
