Why brands should move fast to embrace the FIFA esports opportunity

Football is the world’s game – but in terms of popularity, the EA Sports FIFA video game phenomenon is now hot on its heels.

As esports and competitive gaming have exploded in popularity, games such as Call of Duty and Overwatch have been the trailblazers, with Fortnite now joining in. But now, EA FIFA’s 260 million-strong player base has started taking an avid interest.

Last August’s eWorld Cup was a watershed moment for the franchise. Twenty million gamers from 60 countries all tried to qualify for the tournament, which was broadcast across 12 digital platforms and 19 national broadcasters.

Since then, we have seen many more fans tune in to watch FIFA tournaments. Twitch, a social platform often associated with hardcore gamers, has opened up to the masses. In December 2018, we saw more than 2.3 million hours of live viewership on the platform, which was 100 times more than the same period for FIFA 18, driven in part by the inaugural ePremier League, won by Liverpool.

For brands, this growing community of competitive FIFA gamers spells real opportunity. But how can they take advantage? From our vantage point, we see five catalysts for even greater growth and opportunity.

Ronaldo versus Messi 2.0

The incredible rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has helped propel football to an even larger audience. Brands have benefited – think Ronaldo’s Nike partnership and Messi’s rival partnership with Adidas. Similar rivalries are now emerging in the EA FIFA space.

Take Mossad “MsDossary” Aldossary and Donovan “F2Tekkz” Hunt for example – two stars at the very top of their game, each capable of defeating the other on their day. Their rivalry lives on long after a tournament ends – with both players exchanging blows on social media, adding to a sense of tribalism previously missing from competitive FIFA gaming.

I guess that's why you can't put Messi & Ronaldo on the same team 🤷‍♂️ #FIFA19

📽️ dedede2000en0 via Reddit pic.twitter.com/Zmux65Gqie

— Gfinity (@Gfinity) July 26, 2019

As heroes and villains start to appear, this drives audience interest even further. In doing so, it offers brands a new opportunity to align themselves with a protagonist – and their supporters.

Innovate to survive

There is a growing desire for new types of FIFA tournament shows and formats that support an entertainment-led approach to gaming – shows that champion new ideas, new formats and new heroes.

Two recent innovations have helped introduce a tournament feel that fans love to see. A 2v2 format, seen in the recent Gfinity Elite Series, and a draft process, which saw teams with capped budgets try and outbid each other for the best players.

The latter added a new level of tactics – not dissimilar from how a team manager approaches buying players in the real world.

There is a real opportunity for brands to add to the entertainment factor. From tournament freebies to immersive experiences, the creative possibilities are endless.

Accessibility is key

Everyone loves an underdog story. That’s the same in esports, watching an unknown player rise through the lower leagues to shine on the biggest stage. These stories are beginning to emerge within competitive FIFA gaming.

Conrad ‘Rannerz’ Tobin broke into the world of esports through the Gfinity Challenger Series. He did so by merely playing FIFA 18 from his bedroom and being good at it. He went on to beat UNILAD esports to become the first ever FIFA 18 Elite Series champion.

Moral of this story? Accessibility is key. Competitions are open to all and more gamers will want to be the next Rannerz. What’s more, 39% of these esports enthusiasts are 21-35 year olds. It gives brands a golden opportunity to build loyalty with both millennial and Gen Z audiences.

Old dogs, new tricks

Brands using FIFA gaming to engage with a new audience is not a new phenomenon. Over the last few years, professional footballers have been bringing their fans into the gaming world by capitalising on their large social media following and using club rivalries with players to create compelling content on YouTube and Instagram.

This is a trend which brands can build on. Beyond shirt sponsorships and ‘safe’ branding exercises that do little to build credentials with an esports audience, a community that has been largely inaccessible through conventional means can now be reached in a way that resonates and speaks to the gaming audience – through their online heroes.

Talal Musa is a passionate media professional with more than a decade’s worth of experience at national newspapers. He is currently consumer PR and communities manager at Gfinity