Today marks the worldwide launch of EA Sports’ FC 24, the next heir to the previously named FIFA franchise, and with it comes an exciting new esports competition format led by a message of appealing to new audiences.
FC Pro: A Worldwide Esports Circuit
The FC Pro competition is a 1v1 Esports campaign starting from the release of the game, that will start in online local leagues and culminate at the FC 24 World Championships, held in June 2024. However, the competition is only open to PlayStation 5 gamers.
The campaign is divided into two distinct projects: FC Pro Open and FC Pro League.
In FC Pro Open, players will have to build their « Ultimate Team » in the game and compete in an online regional open ladder. The best online players will earn their spot to compete in an 8-week real-life competition held in London to determine the 4 players that will reach the World Championships.
Starting February 2024, EA Sports will aim locally with the start of their FC Pro League, a chain of esports tournaments held in partnership with football leagues around the world, like the MLS, LALIGA, Ligue 1 etc. This worldwide circuit will eventually allow the 28 strongest players to join the 4 qualified from FC Pro Open at the FC 24 World Championships, resulting in a world-class 32-player tournament.
The development of this new pro circuit marks another stepping stone in EA’s ongoing rebranding towards e-competitions and e-entertainment.
FC Pro x JSA+partners
While EA has been working on developing its esports ecosystem, it is JSA+partners, a Public Relations agency founded by USC alumna Jennifer Stephens Acree, that is in charge of helping them with outreach. As 2nd year PR Graduate student Arantxa Landa currently interning at the agency told me «We don’t have as much involvement in [...] the structure of the competition, we mostly help them get to the media. »
Casey Tamkin graduated from Annenberg in 2017 and is now in charge of the FC Pro campaign at JSA+partners.
« The biggest message that we’re trying to communicate with fans is: this is a new era of EA Sports football, and e-sports overall, » she said.
In order to execute the release of FC 24 and its Pro esports tournaments, the agency prepped a PR campaign aimed at getting fans excited about this new adventure via esports and traditional sports media outlets. Senior director and commissioner of EA football esports Sam Turkbas notably expressed himself in a GamesBeat article, stating: « FC Pro will redefine the way our millions of Ultimate Team players engage with EA Sports FC.»
Tamkin also highlighted the internationality and accessibility of the campaign, stating that football is such a beloved sport worldwide, which may serve as a great first step towards appealing to new audiences unfamiliar with esports.
« I think what makes FC Pro so special is the fact that someone who might not understand the intricacies of another video game can easily jump in and watch, right? So even if I’m not a huge gamer, [...] it’s easy for me to watch it and enjoy it and understand what’s happening, » said Tamkin.
An Eye-Opening Campaign
It seems that the reach of the FC Pro campaign may not only help fans but also future industry leaders better understand the wide grasp of the esports industry and the different jobs it involves. Arantxa, who was not very familiar with the topic beforehand, shared her thoughts.
« I knew there was a huge community and funds behind this industry, but I didn’t know the many different ways of being involved in esports, » she said.
Even for more experienced partners, esports’ constantly evolving nature is a source of incredible experience.
Casey said « Before the pandemic, I don’t think anyone kind of knew what esports was. And then post-pandemic, esports and gaming touches all of our lives in so many ways, [...] it’s kind of become this global phenomenon. It’s just changing so much. And there’s something new to learn every single day. There are new applications for it. There are new ways that people interact with esports. So I think I’m always growing and learning. »
If any of our readers aim to get into Public Relations, Esports may be an interesting market, even if they do not feel qualified. Casey stated that, as a Journalism major, she would not have thought of esports PR as a career option. However, her ability to communicate stories of brands through different media, as well as her gaming experience while growing up, led her to become an esports PR professional who has now been working with EA Sports for 3 years.