Ibrahimovic investigates EA Sports
It has become part of a football fan’s world to expect the new EA Sports FIFA video game to release each year with all the content available for them to access. However, could this all soon begin to change as high-profile players start to ask questions of the industry?
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has taken to Twitter to question EA Sports and FIFPro as to his inclusion in their game.
Somebody is making profit on my name and face without any agreement all these years.
Time to investigate— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) November 23, 2020
“Who gave FIFA EA Sport permission to use my name and face? @FIFPro? I’m not aware to be a member of Fifpro and if I am I was put there without any real knowledge through some weird manouver. And for sure I never allowed @FIFAcom or Fifpro to make money using me,” wrote the Swede.
“Somebody is making profit on my name and face without any agreement all these years. Time to investigate.”
Gareth Bale also replied to the tweet with his own curiosity.
.@Ibra_official Interesting… what is @FIFPro? 🤔 #TimeToInvestigate
— Gareth Bale (@GarethBale11) November 23, 2020
EA shares dropped by 3.5% in 2019 after the game lost the rights to use Juventus’ name and image in the game. Ronaldo’s club are still represented by the black and white stripes however the badge and name, Piemonte Calcio, have been changed to fictional alternatives. Could further rights discrepancies soon commence?
Player revolution
In response to Ibrahimović’s tweet, David Ornstein of The Athletic replied with a link to a story by the outlet detailing that players may soon be taking action on the exploitation of their performance and tracking data.
Many players have already signed up to take legal action over exactly this, with the help of @GSportsDataTech (https://t.co/AoOcASxB3v). Full details👇 https://t.co/QUsDHZU00v
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) November 23, 2020
The article reveals that hundreds of male and female players allegedly have had their performance and tracking data used by gaming, betting and data processing companies without the lawful permission of the individuals.
An interesting piece of information detailed that whilst the image rights of players have been included in contracts since the 1990s, there has been a lack of inclusion in player contracts regarding the performance and tracking data.
The reported date which settlements could find players is in 2021 but much work is needed to be done and the highest profile players in the game taking note of any possible wrongdoing, could accelerate the process and bring it further into the public eye.
