Why the Jamie Vardy SBC is being called a scam in FC 25 ⇒ FUTFC

EA Sports has released a Jamie Vardy SBC during Premier League TOTS, but its steep price has players questioning its true value. Many in the community are calling it one of the biggest SBC letdowns of FC 25.

A 964k Premier League TOTS SBC sparks backlash

EA Sports released a highly anticipated End of an Era Jamie Vardy SBC as part of the FC 25 Premier League TOTS campaign. The card features 99 pace, 95 shooting, and a five-star weak foot, but at a cost of nearly one million coins in fodder, many FUT players are calling it overpriced and poorly timed.

According to popular FC content creator TheFUTAccount, the SBC feels like a trap set to drain clubs of fodder right after players opened dozens of packs during the Team of the Season release. Despite the nostalgic value and strong in-game attributes, this SBC doesn’t offer enough return for its 11 squad segments, which include four 91-rated and three 90-rated squads.

EA targets fodder-rich players with overvalued content

Nate argues that EA took advantage of the fact that players had a surplus of high-rated fodder from saved packs. With few top-tier SBCs leading up to Premier League TOTS, many clubs were stacked with untradeables. Instead of offering a grindable SBC with long-term usability, EA released a flashy Vardy card that most players will only use for a week or two.

Even more frustrating is that similar TOTS cards like Bruno Fernandes, who has elite playstyles and stats, are available on the transfer market for around 100,000 coins. This makes the untradeable Vardy feel out of touch with market value.

Inconsistencies in playstyles make content harder to enjoy

The release of a new Morgan Rogers card via FUT Champs objectives also drew criticism. While he has strong stats and a four-star, five-star combo, he comes with nine base playstyles. That disqualifies him from being used in many popular evolutions which only accept cards with eight or fewer playstyles.

EA’s inconsistency continues to frustrate players trying to use evolutions as intended. Many current TOTS players have six or seven base playstyles, making them easier to upgrade. But new cards like Rogers feel restricted for no good reason.

Evolutions remain the bright spot in the promo

Despite weak SBC offerings, evolutions are keeping the TOTS grind alive. A new paid evolution for right wingers gives Finesse Shot Plus, Quick Step Plus and Pinged Pass Plus. It boosts shooting, dribbling and skill moves, and it’s perfect for cards like Kulusevski or Mohamed Salah.

Another evolution, Bend It Like Deck, is free and offers Dead Ball Plus, Intercept Plus and Press Proven. Players are using it in combination with the Regista Evo to build stacked midfielders like Pedri and Kanté. Three playstyle upgrades for free has made this one of the most useful evolutions of the promo so far.

Learn more about why the Jamie Vardy SBC is being called a scam in FC from TheFutAccountant on YouTube.

EA is also teasing a new evolution for fullbacks that converts them into center backs. It includes Jockey Plus and Anticipate Plus. The twist is it will likely not accept natural center backs but will give the CB position to qualifying RBs and LBs. Players like Diego Dalot and Cafu are seeing price spikes as they are predicted to fit the criteria.

Market reacts to packable TOTS cards and SBC pressure

The Premier League TOTS market has seen big swings. Players like Bruno Fernandes are selling for just 100,000 coins despite having 99 vision, 97 long passing and elite playstyles like Playmaker Plus. According to Nate, cards like this are so cheap because they are “very packable.”

While this benefits casual players, it hurts the feeling of reward for those grinding hard for blues. Many players say they prefer when top cards are rarer and carry higher value. EA appears to be balancing accessibility and hype but hasn’t quite found the sweet spot yet.

Still, it creates trading opportunities. Sniping cards like Cole Palmer or Bukayo Saka on Friday night and flipping them Saturday can be profitable due to high demand and low initial prices.

More SBCs and objectives are expected this weekend

A new 84×5 Premier League or WSL pack is expected to drop as an SBC soon. It may require Team of the Week or Team of the Season items, which are back up to 21,000 coins. This could spike demand again and provide another solid chance at packing top players.

Leaked SBCs for players like Michael Owen, Joe Bellingham and Guro Reiten have also surfaced. Reiten in particular looks promising. If her stats are similar to her Team of the Year version with Finesse Plus and Travela Plus, she could be the SBC that finally delivers value during this promo.

Upgrade SBCs offer a better grind path

For players looking to make the most of their fodder, upgrade SBCs are still the best route. The refreshed 83×10, 84×7 and 86+ player picks are ideal for cycling through high-rated cards. Nate recommends grinding silvers into golds, then into upgrade picks for the best return.

One low-value option he suggests skipping is the 77×2 upgrade. He finds the 81+ player picks far more efficient. Many players are pulling TOTS cards from the EFL and WSL teams this way while building toward bigger packs.