College football season is underway, and EA SPORTS is looking to attract a Gen Z audience with unique experiences. This comes after a recent USC Annenberg study found that 78% of that demographic is more inclined to attend live sporting events when celebrities, activities and brand activations are attached.
In celebration of their EA SPORTS College Football 27 video game, Electronic Arts hosted a massive tailgate party at Longhorn City Limits at the University of Texas on Thursday, complete with performances from Chris Stapleton and Stella Lefty.
“Gen Z wants to participate in sports, not just watch them. They move naturally between games, music, creators and culture, and that gives EA SPORTS an incredible opportunity to connect those experiences and consistently deliver ongoing touchpoints for fans,” Andrea Hopelain, GM & SVP of Global Marketing at EA, told TheWrap. “Rather than simply showing up around sports, brands can become part of experiences fans are actively choosing to spend time with, both in the real world and in our games.”
“College football is so much bigger than what happens on the field. Music, tradition and community are all part of what makes the sport special, and Chris, Stella, the Longhorn Band, football legends and creators each bring an authentic connection to that culture,” Hopelain added. “What’s exciting for us is taking moments fans already care deeply about and extending them into our games, like College Football 27, creating more ways for people to experience and participate in college football throughout the season.”
In partnership with Visa, Stapleton headlined the festivities following earlier performances from up-and-comer Lefty and the UT Longhorn Band. And according to the country music superstar, he’s excited to see his art connect with a younger fanbase.
“It’s definitely a pleasant surprise and I’m not entirely sure what the path of discovery is for newer fans,” he shared. “Mainly, I hope it means we’ve made some music that holds up, and in doing so set ourselves up to connect with people of all ages and all walks of life regardless of when we put out our last record.”
“Live music is one of those human experiences that’s hard to explain,” Stapleton added. “When we’re in it, whether you’re in the band or out in the audience, we’re all there seeking connection. We become unified in ways that only a live music experience can offer. Maybe we aren’t even actively aware of it, but we feel it. That’s something only live music can do.”
Plus, the evening also featured plenty of content creators and appearances from all-star athletes like Vince Young, Ricky Williams, Jamaal Charles, Colt McCoy, Cardale Jones, Braxton Miller, Kurt Benkert and Cam Newton.
