Fit for champions... EA strikes Barca deal

Big news coming out of EA today as they have announced a new three year deal with footballing giants FC Barcelona.

“Joining a world class football club like Barcelona as an Official Club Partner is a fantastic opportunity for EA SPORTS and our fans,” said Matt Bilbey, Senior Vice President and Group General Manager, EA SPORTS.

“We will create a deeper connection with their passionate, global fan base, and use our games as a platform to engage supporters all around the world for years to come.”

Laurent Colette, Chief Marketing Officer, FC Barcelona said, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with EA SPORTS, one of the world's leading sports and entertainment brands, and to create a stronger relationship between our global fan bases.

"We encourage everyone to try out the game, get a feel for being under the skin of our players and emulating their actions on the pitch; without a doubt those who try it will enjoy it."

Through the partnership, EA SPORTS captured 3D head scans of 17 Barcelona stars such as Xavi Hernandez, Gerard Piqué, Cesc Fàbregas, Dani Alves, and Andrés Iniesta, and says they will appear as "stunning, high-quality and authentic 3D digital player models in FIFA 14."

In addition, Camp Nou, Barcelona’s home pitch, will be a featured stadium.

"F.C. Barcelona and its superstar forward and FIFA 14 cover athlete, Lionel Messi, will become central figures in global marketing, advertising and social media activities for the critically acclaimed FIFA franchise," EA SPORTS says.

Plus, F.C. Barcelona will host an exclusive videogame tournament later this year to determine the best FIFA 14 player in the squad.

Over the course of the partnership, both parties will develop a range of interactive activities to entertain and engage fans both at Camp Nou and around the world.

At selected home matches over the course of the season, the EA SPORTS Dugout, a mobile gaming trailer, will be on-site so fans can play EA SPORTS games.

In addition, the Spanish club will receive in-game insights and data about how their fans engage with the club through EA SPORTS FIFA.

As a result of the deal, Barcelona will join the other partner clubs around the world, including Valencia from Spain’s La Liga, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City from Barclays Premier League in England, Borussia Dortmund from the German Bundesliga, Olympique Lyonnais and Paris Saint-Germain F.C. from Ligue 1 in France, and AC Milan in Italy’s Serie A.