Spurs agree multi-year EA deal

20 July 2012 | Posted in Sponsorship, Soccer, Europe | By Michael Long

Tottenham Hotspur has become the eighth Premier League club to sign with video games developer Electronic Arts Inc after a new three-year agreement was unveiled on Thursday.

The deal designates EA Sports as the official video game partner of the north London club, complementing the company’s existing deals with Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Newcastle, and Manchester City.

Spurs are scheduled to play three pre-season tour matches in the US in July as part of their preparations for the new Premier League season, which kicks off on 18th August. During the team’s visit, which takes in New York and Baltimore, EA Sports will take 3D head scans of the players at Vanderbilt Hall in the Big Apple’s Grand Central Station to enable authentic digital representations to be created for future versions of EA’s hugely popular Fifa soccer game.

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Additionally, over the course of the partnership both parties will work together on new initiatives to entertain and engage supporters via various media channels. Videos featuring Spurs players, a match outcome prediction tool and a special Spurs packaging for Fifa 13 will be made available on the club’s website, while EA Sports Dugout, a mobile gaming trailer, will cater to fans attending matches.

“We are extremely excited to join a world class football club like Tottenham Hotspur as an official club partner,” said Matt Bilbey, senior vice president and general manager of football at EA Sports. “This is an opportunity for us to create a deeper connection with their passionate, global fan base, and use our game as a platform to engage Spurs supporters all season long.”

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy added: “Over the course of the past few years we've seen the international profile of the club rise significantly, especially across key markets in Asia and North America. We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with EA Sports, one of the world's leading entertainment brands, and provide them with the opportunity to reach our global fan base."