EA Sports taps U.S. soccer national team captain as new brand ambassador

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Electronic Arts has entered into a multi-year endorsement deal with the captain of the U.S. Soccer National Team, Clint Dempsey. As part of the deal, Dempsey will serve as EA Sports Football Ambassador.

Dempsey, attacking midfielder and member of the Seattle Sounders, will make his FIFA franchise debut in a FIFA 14 GameStop commercial. The full 30-second ad spot features Dempsey coaching a fan through various post-goal celebration moves.

Dempsey recently returned to Major League Soccer in the United States after seven seasons in the Barclays Premier League. The 30-year-old forward scored 7 Premier League goals in 29 games during 2012-2013. Dempsey has made 100 appearances for the U.S., and played in the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups. He ranks second on the Americans' all-time scoring chart for international strikes with 36.

“Clint Dempsey is an incredible talent on the field who exudes a palpable excitement and passion for the sport,” said Randy Chase, senior director of North America marketing for EA Sports. “His return to the United States marks a tremendous leap forward for soccer in the country and we are thrilled to partner with Clint on many projects that will continue to drive the exploding popularity of the sport in America.”

“Having been a longtime fan of the EA Sports FIFA franchise, I am thrilled to join the FIFA team,” said Dempsey. “The FIFA games have played an important role in bringing many new fans to soccer in the United States and it’s awesome to partner with the team to continue the great work they’ve already been doing.”

FIFA 14 will be available on the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, PC and other platforms on Sept. 24 in North America and Sept. 27 worldwide. FIFA 14 will also be available later this year with the launch of the Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PlayStation 4. FIFA 14 is available for pre-order now on selected platforms at http://www.origin.com and other retailers.

Electronic Arts delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 300 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.