Electronic Arts (EA)’s Post

Today the full evaluation of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games was published. Key headlines include: - The Games contributed approximately £1.2 billion to the UK economy, with nearly half of that in the West Midlands alone! - The Games contributed £79.5 million in social value - Well over £150m of additional social value is expected in the longer term, as a result of skills and apprenticeships delivered through the Games & community use of Games facilities - A 27% increase in Foreign Investment in the West Midlands between 2021/22 and 2022/23, compared to 4% in the rest of the UK - An increase of 6% in visitor numbers to Birmingham in 2022 (compared to 2019)  - Approximately 6.9 million people engaged with the Games, including spectators, participants, volunteers, and employees   For us, our Games was groundbreaking.   And we continue to champion the West Midlands, our communities, people and places, to keep that legacy alive. You can access the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ex4saec5   #Birmingham2022 #Legacy #UB22

Electronic Arts is bringing back its beloved College Football video game for the first time in over a decade. And they’re offering college players $600 and a copy of the game if they will allow their likeness to be included. This is a big deal. But will this payment structure work? Part of the reason EA’s college football game went away despite selling millions of copies annually is because the court ruled that the company was profiting off college athletes’ likenesses without compensating them. Now the game is back with new features and an entirely new business model. But will star players take a small payout to allow their likeness to be included in the game now that they are getting large endorsement deals in other categories? These players know their worth now. And if EA can't secure the college's top players, will the game find the same success it once had?  Time will tell. Will you be picking up College Football 25? What university are you looking forward to taking over and turning into a powerhouse? #football #sportsbusiness

Hi everyone! I'm excited to share my latest article on how the rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals is transforming the college basketball landscape and contributing to the closure of the NBA G League Ignite. In this piece, I explore how NIL deals have incentivized players to stay in college longer, develop their skills, and build their personal brands. This shift has led to a more experienced and competitive March Madness, with upperclassmen now leading the charge. This is evident in the Final Four, which features veteran talent, particularly in the two prominent big men, DJ Burns and Zach Edey, both of whom are seniors. I also examine how the increased opportunities for players in college have diminished the appeal of the G League Ignite, ultimately leading to its shutdown. Key points: NIL deals have given players a reason to stay in college and monetize their brands. More experienced players are now dominating March Madness and finding incentives to avoid a fast paced track to the NBA. The G League Ignite's relevance has diminished with the rise of NIL, leading to its closure. Please check out the full article and share your thoughts!

For my honours project, I've been trying to figure out how to pass information from an EEG (brain pattern reading) headset device to Unity, which I can use for creating some exciting, interactive experiences that react to your emotions! 🤯 After pulling hairs out and debating the whole idea entirely, Unity can now subscribe to a performance metric data stream in any scene after activating a session, and output performance metric values for attention, stress and relaxation! 🙌 The next step is implementing design theory to make this into an interesting mechanic for my artefact. 🎨 🧑🎨

One of the joys of March Madness is the complete chaos the tournament presents. But if you look around college sports right now, it’s more than just the games that are unpredictable. The whole industry feels like it’s serving up chaos soup. These major factors are fundamentally changing college sports: 👉 NIL rules have given athletes new opportunities to earn money 👉 The transfer portal has made player movement far more common 👉 Conference realignment has upended long-time rivalries At the heart of these changes is almost always the same thing: Money. Players will seek new opportunities, including changing schools if there is a better chance to showcase themselves. Schools are looking around and trying to pair up to form super conferences to cash in on TV rights and ticket sales. Some of this will likely be for the better – We'll almost certainly see some restrictions and regulations that will act as guardrails for the future. But a lot of it feels like a great unknown right now. College sports is going to look a lot different than it has for much of its history. What do you think of these changes? #sportsbusiness #NIL #innovation

Before the big game, learn about how organized collegiate sport has both positively contributed to and negatively detracted from the educational experiences of Black male college athletes. Check out RACE, SPORTS, AND EDUCATION by John N. Singer: https://bit.ly/3Sgitd7

"East Carolina University is no stranger to large club and intramural sporting events, especially large sports tournaments that bring teams from all over the United States to participate at our four recreational sports facilities.", Greg Corack, Ed.D. at the East Carolina University writes in Campus Rec Magazine. Thanks to the portable Spiideo cameras, East Carolina University’s Sport Programs team live-streamed their intramural championships for the first time. The ease of setup and the autonomous operation, eliminating the need for a camera operator, have empowered club sports at the university to broadcast their games to a growing audience of alumni, friends, and family. This initiative not only elevates the experience of hosting high-quality events but also paves the way for financial sustainability through the potential monetization of streaming services. East Carolina University’s innovative approach is a testament to how Universities can elevate their live streaming of sports events. Discover more about their experience and insights on hosting large sports tournaments: https://hubs.ly/Q02k7jPm0 #Spiideo #EastCarolinaUniversity #SportsBroadcasting #Innovation #LiveStreaming

National Signing Day did not die – it may be its most thrilling yet The NCAA Division I Committee eliminated the National Letter of Intent program last week, leaving questions about the future of National Signing Day and the college football recruiting calendar. In reality, not much about the tradition of National Signing Day or the recruiting process is changing. Instead of recruits signing a National Letter of Intent as a binding agreement, they will sign financial aid and revenue share documents. It's the next step in the evolution of college athletics, as the House v. NCAA settlement is expected to begin July 1, 2025, allowing schools to share up to $22 million in revenue with athletes annually. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eswE2Phh

Explore with us the dynamics of entering the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and European pro leagues through various pathways, including pre-professional leagues like the United Women's Soccer (UWS) and collegiate programs. We examine the importance of providing platforms for young players to showcase their talents, especially during the summer months in the UWS, and the relationship between college soccer and professional opportunities. Additionally, we discuss the distinctions between professional and pre-professional leagues, emphasizing the role of standards such as operational, facility, and staffing requirements in defining league status. We reflect on the establishment of UWS in response to a league bankruptcy in 2015, highlighting the significance of maintaining high standards to offer a professional environment on an amateur budget. Finally, we consider the broader impact of these standards on the soccer pyramid, from grassroots to professional levels, and the potential for more unified standards across all levels of play. Enjoy on YouTube, Apple, Spotify and our website, www.footy4mysoul.com

To all of my Educational friends and clients. Let’s setup a time to see what tricks, tips and time saving deployment secrets we can learn from Burnley. Emulating proven success is really the highest form of flattery!