EA Sports to become title sponsor of Spanish league in 2023
FILE - A general view of the Camp Nou stadium prior of a Spanish Copa del Rey soccer match between Barcelona and Leganes, in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. Barcelona has auctioned off a digital art piece depicting an iconic goal by Johan Cruyff for $693,000 as it seeks new revenues to battle its way out of massive debt. Barcelona says that the auction run by Sotheby’s in New York for the club’s first NFT, or non-fungible token, closed at $550,000. The auctioneer’s fees increased the final sale price to $693,000. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort, File)
MADRID (AP) — EA Sports will become the title sponsor of the Spanish league beginning in 2023-24.
The league said on Tuesday the videogaming company will replace Spain-based bank Santander, which is entering its final season as the main sponsor of the second-richest European domestic league.
The league and EA Sports signed a multi-year contract, though further details on the deal were not immediately released.
The Spanish sports daily Marca said EA Sports will pay 30 million euros ($30.7 million) a season to the Spanish league in the rebranding agreement that includes the first and second divisions and other league-related competitions, including for youth squads and e-sports.
New logos and audiovisual features will be put in place when the new deal kicks off in 2023.
“The agreement paves the way for new experiences, deeper in-game integrations, enhanced broadcast communications, and commitment to grassroots initiatives,” the league said in a statement. “In addition to the naming rights partnership, fans will experience the benefit through technology, gameplay enhancements and development, and real-world football highlights.”
Spanish league executive director Óscar Mayo said the partnership “is set to truly transform the way football is enjoyed around the world” and show the league is “a global brand.”
It will be the first time the league, which continues its push to increase its global reach and get closer to the English Premier League, will have an international title sponsor.
It announced a few weeks ago that it was ending its partnership with Santander, which replaced fellow Spanish bank BBVA in 2016.
The agreement with the league comes after EA Sports announced in May that it was ending its relationship with FIFA and changed the name of its best-selling soccer video game to EA Sports FC.
The Spanish league begins on Aug. 12.
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