One of the most interesting recent developments in the world of marketing, Name, Image, and Likeness, and college sports has been the impending partnership between the FIU Panthers and pop singer and rapper Pitbull. The most recent of these announcements involves a naming rights deal that could soon turn FIU’s football stadium into “Pitbull Stadium.”
Always at the forefront of college football news these days, will EA Sports College Football 25 reflect this change? And if so, when?
EA Sports College Football 25 to Reflect Name Change to FIU’s Stadium
According to CBS Sports reporter Richard Johnson, as has become customary, EA Sports was aware of the impending deal and name change and plans to reflect that change in a future update.
According to Johnson, it’s not as simple as changing the name on the outside of the stadium and in the game audio, given Pitbull’s celebrity status. That being said, the change is expected to be implemented in a future game update.
This is part of a trend that has been discussed by the game’s designers in recent weeks. Teams, according to several of EA Sports’ developers, will begin utilizing the game as a way to reflect changes to uniforms, stadiums, and other aspects specific to their school.
For example, Vanderbilt plans to work with developers to update the progress of their stadium renovation in the game to reflect the ongoing changes in real life. It’s also been rumored that Hawaii could debut its future stadium design in the game.
FIU and Pitbull announced the wide-ranging financial agreement Monday that will bring $6 million into the program and includes a naming rights deal for the team’s stadium. It is believed to be the first naming rights deal of its kind between a college athletics program and a musician.
The announcement comes as other schools and conferences seek to get creative with how they raise money for their programs, with some considering private equity.
It’s safe to say that EA Sports College Football 25 will seek to reflect any changes in college football, whether that be at large or for individual teams themselves.
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