FEED IBC ISSUE 2026 Web

INDUSTRY

It’s in the game G

aming giant Electronic Arts (EA) has been sold for $55bn (£41bn) to a Saudi-led

investment group, taking the company private in the largest leveraged buyout in gaming history. The deal includes Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners and other investors. EA will retain chief executive Andrew Wilson. The takeover raised concerns among some gamers over potential changes to creative decisions and representation, while analysts warn debt repayments could lead to cost- cutting. Supporters say the deal will help EA expand its global influence.

LIVE PRODUCTION

Bringing VAR to Oceania L

iveU has announced a landmark deployment with the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) that has brought Video Assistant Refereeing

(VAR) to the Pacific Islands for the first time – closing a gap that had existed since VAR was first introduced. “We were the only confederation in the world without VAR – and we knew, with traditional models, it would never happen for us,” said Kevin Stoltenkamp, OFC head of refereeing. “When I saw it working for the first time, I realised – this can work. Now, we can take the system as baggage on a plane and deliver VAR anywhere. For us, accessibility is everything. It’s not just about technology – it’s about people solving problems together.”

INDUSTRY

SPORTS BROADCAST

AMAGI CONTINUES GROWTH STRATEGY Amagi has appointed Martin Wacker as head of sales for DACH and CEE. Based in Hamburg, Wacker will drive adoption of Amagi’s cloud-native broadcast, FAST and AI-powered solutions. He brings over 20 years of experience across broadcasting, digital transformation and business development.

NOVIRA CYMRU PREMIER BBC Cymru Wales has agreed a new deal with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) to broadcast selected games from the Novira Cymru Premier for the next three years. The agreement includes a minimum of 20 live games per season, which will ultimately be broadcast on BBC iPlayer, and is set to run until 2029.

BBC SECURES ATHLOS LONDON ATHLOS, the all-women’s professional track and field league, has announced the BBC as its official UK broadcast partner for ATHLOS London. The partnership will bring live coverage to audiences across the UK, with the BBC broadcasting the event from StoneX Stadium on Friday, 18 September 2026 via its digital platforms.