October 10 – Adidas, one of FIFA’s six top tier partners, has added sponsorship of the the governing bodies esports package – the FIFA 20 Global Series – and will provide the official in-game ball.
The is the second year that Adidas has sponsored the FIFA esports series which will conclude in July with the eWorld Cup and pay out more than $3 million in prize money.
Game maker EA Sports will run a similar competitive calendar to last year’s tournament with six live Champions Cup events, a FIFA eClub World Cup in February 2020, a FIFA eNations Cup in May, and two playoffs events before the FIFA eWorld Cup final in July.
The Adidas match ball will be used throughout all the competitions with fans able to unlock the digital game ball via in-game card packs or by watching matches on Twitch.
The digital ball features a red and black cross design on a white base, as well as the FUT Champions shield. “The digital ball is designed to mirror traditional football behaviour – the physics and direction will behave accurately based on the type of contact such as, passed from outside the foot, after a backheel or when driven with power. The ball will react differently to individual pitch types and stadium locations, such as turf, pristinely kept grounds or ravaged rainy fields, and material and lighting properties have been tuned to enhance perception of the spin,” said an Adidas press release.
Adidas is also creating a series of short films that will focus on enhancing gaming performance through mindset, nutrition, movement and recovery techniques for to esport gamers.
FIFA Competitive Gaming Commissioner Brent Koning said: “We view partnerships for the global game of EA Sports EA SPORTS FIFA to be a vital connector between football culture and FIFA culture. This ground-breaking partnership with adidas to field the official EA Sports FIFA 20 Global Series official ball reinforces the growth of this competitive gaming franchise. Having a partner with such an iconic brand rooted in football culture – both on and off the field – will continue to build player and spectator interest.”
Adidas, along with an increasing number of traditional football sponsors, are expanding their involvement beyond the traditional field of play.
Florian Alt, Global VP of Global Brand Communications at Adidas, said: “With the growth of eSports, we’re seeing a whole new category of athletes emerge, whose game requires a unique set of skills, training and mindset. We are just as committed to helping support their game, to be the best they can be, through innovative partnerships, specially designed products, as well as physical and mental training tools to help enhance their game. We’re excited to be at the forefront of this new category of sport.”
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