Yet another untouchable sports juggernaut has purchased exclusive rights for one of the world’s biggest leagues, ensuring that (for several years) they’ll now be the only REAL dog show in town.
But it’s okay, because this time it wasn’t EA, and EA was the one who got the short end of the stick! Hah! Irony!
Today, Konami announced a four year exclusive deal with the UEFA Champions League, one of Europe’s greatest soccer (football, whatever) club competitions. Previously held by EA and used in the UEFA series (which was actually a very solid title this year), the UEFA license now belongs exclusively to Pro Evolution Soccer and will debut in the upcoming 2009 iteration.
"The Pro Evolution Soccer series is synonymous with football being played at the highest level, which makes it perfect for hosting the best club football competition in the world", commented UEFA. "We are delighted that Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 will feature the UEFA Champions League and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Konami."
Will this gigantic moment of sports irony lead to a less competitive soccer game market? Or will it lead to increased sales for Konami? Maybe. I honestly don’t think anyone cared enough about UEFA to buy EA’s game and skip out on Pro Evo/Winning Eleven each year in the first place, but I could be wrong.
