Home Gaming Footballers are planning a revolt against EA’s FIFA series use of their likenesses

Footballers are planning a revolt against EA’s FIFA series use of their likenesses

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Fifa Zlatan

One of the main selling points of a game like FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer is that you’re given a chance to take your favourite sportsball team to the top of the leagues and using the talents of very-real people to do so, says แทงบอลวันนี้. That official layer of authenticity has always been a key selling point for fans, who delight in having access to thousands of players in every annual game.

Some footballers aren’t happy about this though, according to reporting by The Athletic. Earlier in the week, AC Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic began querying why his likeness was being used in FIFA 21 since he wasn’t a member of FIFPro, a global union that handles image rights for affiliated footballers. Tootenham Hotspur’s Gareth Bale also added his support to the issue, calling for an investigation.

That these queries are coming in after it was announced that football legend David Beckham will earn roughly £256,000 per week without even needing to kick a ball in his new multi-year deal with EA’s FIFA series as its next-gen face, are probably unrelated. Probably. According to The Athletic report more players will add their voices to the growing discontent around the use of their likenesses.

It’s a legal mess to jump into though, although there is some legal precedence that the disgruntled players can lean on, dating back to last year when EA forked out $6.5 million to 450 players who had an issue with how their likenesses were used in EA games from 2005-2014. On the other side of the coin, you have a publisher such as EA navigating numerous regional and national laws, as well as agreements with clubs and leagues to gain access to those likenesses. Premier League clubs in particular sell all of their video game licensing rights collectively, although Serie A is an exception to this rule.

Long story short? Ibrahimovic might need to renegotiate his contract and pay close attention to the fine print, as EA is likely to have learned a lesson from its last courtroom bruising and has made certain that its use of football player likenesses is legal.

Last Updated: April 1, 2022

10 Comments

  1. Seems wrong that his likeness is being used and he is not profiting from it. Maybe he is motivated by money, but the fact that he is not happy may be a sign of things to come.

    I get it, these guys normally sign image rights way. But if he is being vocal about it. There must be cause for concern.

    Mind you, I hate EA.

    Reply

    • Chris Summers

      November 25, 2020 at 12:36

      Dear EA, you wouldn’t steal a car…..

      Anyway, I say we do a crowdfunding effort for these footballers, otherwise who knows how they will afford their next meal (of beluga caviar eggs individually wrapped in gold by the finest artisans and dusted with a light coating of the Devil’s dandruff).

      Screw EA and screw the overpaid footballers.

      Reply

      • MechMachine

        November 25, 2020 at 15:24

        You’re probably right. I`m just blinded by my glee at the prospect of EA getting some pain.

        Reply

        • Chris Summers

          November 25, 2020 at 16:51

          I’m hardly a bleeding heart liberal, but the amount of money these guys get paid to play footies is grotesque in the face of the daily challenges millions (billions?) of people have to deal with daily to get a meal etc.

          Football needs to put a proper salary cap in place, and I don’t even mean two bucks fiddy or something, but surely say GBP 25k a week will be allright?

          As for EA, I don’t think that needs further commentary

          Reply

          • Du4098

            November 25, 2020 at 18:18

            Couldn’t agree more on the salary cap. It literally makes me sick knowing how much Messi get’s paid for instance.

  2. BradeLunner

    November 25, 2020 at 11:46

    Zlatan vs the Evil Dead

    Reply

  3. Du4098

    November 25, 2020 at 18:18

    I’m certainly not defending EA but footballers like Zlatan have SO much money that this seems a little ridiculous to me. How many years now has Zlatan been in Fifa games and you’re telling me he just now realised they use his face? I call BS.

    Reply

    • Jarred

      November 25, 2020 at 18:18

      Even more ridiculous is that he has previously done some promos with EA for FUT AND while he claims to not know about FIFPro he has previously attended their award ceremony so… yeah.

      Reply

      • Du4098

        November 25, 2020 at 20:27

        Unbelievable… in Zlatan’s defence perhaps he is of an age where he forgets a bit more than he would in his younger days.

        Reply

  4. Ivan Khumalo

    November 27, 2020 at 09:39

    Zlatan is a diva. He and Bale would do anything to stay relevant. EA didn’t start using his likeness yesterday why is it such an issue now? It doesn’t amaze me that the players whose careers have taken a sharp nose dive are the ones complaining about EA now but had no problems doing promos with the company a decade ago.

    Reply

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