Ben Hendren is credited.
Ben Hendren is credited.
On the main concourse with a view of the field, merchandise booths, food sellers, and a DJ stand with DJ Jay Shal and DJ Brannew were set up on Saturday. The esports competition area, where roughly two dozen televisions were grouped together and connected to Xboxes and PlayStations, was the center of the event, and the booths surrounded it.
Video gamers of all ages participated in an open tournament with a knockout format for the most of the day. One player manages a whole team in the game, moving them throughout the field and trying to score goals while switching between virtual players.
Ben Hendren is credited.
Ben Hendren is credited.
Competitors in open tournaments were fighting for rewards. An all-expense-paid vacation to the United Kingdom to attend a live Premier League game was awarded to the winner. A signed Premier League shirt was awarded to the runner-up.
The winner of the open event was ecstatic with his win, according to Sarah McKeever, product manager at EA Sports FC.
She remarked, “He removed his United shirt and gave that cheer so loud it’s burned into my memory.”
It was exactly the kind of excitement and buzz McKeever and her colleagues at EA had hoped for.
About the event, which was the first of its sort in the country, McKeever stated, “We wanted to create a whole indoor festival where anyone could engage with every kind of facet of the Summer Series and the ePL.”
Atlanta was a calculated decision.
According to Monica Dinsmore, head of esports at EA, the city has a long history of sports enthusiasm, especially for soccer with Atlanta United, and a thriving, fervent local community. We are excited to celebrate the global reach of the Premier League, EA Sports FC, and EA Sports FC Mobile with local fans as we introduce an ePL competition to America for the first time.
Fan activation stations are set up outside the stadium by Premier League-affiliated sponsors. A royal purple double-decker bus belonging to Peacock, NBC’s streaming service that broadcasts exclusive live football games, was parked outside.
Children were invited to experience the weight of victory at a trophy hoist station. Topps trading card representatives circulated among the throng, handing out free, collectible sports cards featuring Premier League players.
As one of four teams from the Premier League Summer Series—Manchester United, Everton, West Ham United, and AFC Bournemouth—some celebrities, influencers, and professional soccer players competed in the evening’s X4 Superstar Head-to-Head.
Ben Hendren is credited.
Ben Hendren is credited.
James Garner, Nathan Patterson, and Tim Iroegbunam of Everton, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jean-Clair Todibo of West Ham United, and Will Dennis and Alex Paulsen of AFC Bournemouth were among the professional football players who participated in the competition. Throughout the day, some professional football players participated in meet-and-greets with lines as long as ninety minutes long and signed autographs.
Kelley O. Hara of Georgia was also competing in the Superstar Head-to-Head. Before a knee injury caused her to retire in 2024, O Hara, who was born and raised in Fayetteville, earned an Olympic gold medal and several World Cup victories.
Ben Hendren is credited.
Ben Hendren is credited.
As an independent filmmaker (her short film Ripe! just won Best Narrative Short at the 2024 Tribeca Film festival), podcaster, broadcast sports pundit on CBS, and now esports, O Hara has embraced a new phase in media after leaving the soccer pitch.
Whatever the arena, I’m competitive. “I want to win, whether it’s a video game or the World Cup final,” she remarked. It’s enjoyable to be able to play soccer virtually now that I can’t play the game in person.
O Hara also has nostalgic feelings for video games, recalling playing them before soccer games as a kid. Before she took the field, her coach had encouraged her to do something competitive to get in the proper frame of mind.
She recalls that before soccer matches, I would actually be playing Mario Smash on my Game Boy.
O Hara competed against EarthGang rapper Doctur Dot in the Superstar Head-to-Head, which took place at the end of the festival.
Ben Hendren is credited.
Ben Hendren is credited.
According to Jeffrey Latham, EA esports’ communications head, the event and similar ones are crucial in encouraging younger audiences to take an interest in soccer.
According to Latham, we know that the average age of fans watching traditional league sports, such as football or soccer, is increasing. Younger people can now participate in those traditional sports thanks to the Electronic Arts. When a younger player base begins to make inroads in this field, we are frequently their first point of call.
Ben Hendren is credited.
Ben Hendren is credited.
Esports enthusiasts may anticipate witnessing the FC Pro World Championship, which is being held at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from Thursday through August 10, as the day came to an end at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
EA Sports FC is participating in the World Cup’s prestigious multi-title competition for the first time this year. A $1 million prize pool will be up for grabs for thirty-two of the best EA Sports FC 25 players. The official EA Sports FC Pro YouTube and Twitch accounts allow viewers to watch games live.
