When a football club enters eSports, many fans initially take a critical view. One way to bring both parties together is the Pro Clubs mode in FIFA, says Patrick Baur. It even has advantages compared to real football.
Titles like League of Legends generally have a recognition problem, but eFootball also has a surprisingly hard time.
This is mainly due to the fact that in “normal” FIFA there is only one player at the controller, as Patrick Baur says: “Football is a team sport, but the one in FIFA is just not one. There is no feeling of football, no sense of togetherness.”
Advantages that real football does not offer
The Pro Clubs mode is different. Because in this, each player controls his own avatar instead of an entire team. The special feature: Each character can be designed as the mood takes you – long, colourful hair is not uncommon.
“It’s all about tactics, team building, communication, personality development – all the things that make up football,” Baur sums up.
The mode even has advantages that real football lacks: “It is age-independent, you can bring different genders together, bring in people with handicaps, bring people together regardless of location. You can’t do that on the real football pitch. “
“No pay-to-win, no CPU control “
Pro Clubs also leaves out frequently criticised issues. “No pay-to-win, no CPU control,” is how the managing director of Doppelpass Digital GmbH further summarises the advantages.
CPU control in particular is the focus of criticism year after year. Although EA SPORTS again promises improved AI defence when announcing a new spin-off, the reality is different. It is often one step too late, has poor or no man coverage.
Opportunity for still insecure clubs
Clubs still weighing up an eSports commitment, Pro Clubs could be an opportunity. All the demands and ideas Baur has, however, are not new. The Pro Clubs mode has been wrestling with these very issues for many years.
Some clubs, such as FC St. Pauli or Hansa Rostock, have taken up the idea, and even entire leagues have existed for over half a decade. The spark never quite seems to have been ignited. This is mainly due to the fact that the mode has existed since 2011, but EA SPORTS has not promoted it much. Pro-Clubs tournaments with a large range, many innovations and updates are missing.
