Deering informed Stone that Sony had been offered the rights to FIFA by ISL, the entity responsible for FIFA licensing at the time. Stone was taken aback by this revelation, as the deal had apparently been offered without EA’s knowledge. He expressed his frustration, stating, “Chris Deering met with me and said, ‘We’ve been offered the rights to FIFA Soccer.’ I said, ‘You have got to be effing joking. Seriously? ISL has approached you and asked if you would like an exclusive worldwide license for FIFA? After everything we’ve done for them?’”
However, Deering made a surprising decision. He told Stone that he wouldn’t agree to the offer, stating, “I will not sign that deal unless you can’t come to terms with FIFA. That’s your deal. You created that.”
