The growth of eSports is taking another major step forward as ESPN, Disney and the NFL announced a multi-year deal to broadcast the Madden NFL 18 Championship Series and other future leagues.
“We’re thrilled to continue and expand our relationship with EA and the NFL in not only showcasing to our audiences these world class esports competitions for multiple years, but using the myriad of ESPN and Disney global platforms to tell the incredible stories of these competitors,” John Lasker, VP of ESPN Digital Media Programming, said in a statement.
The blockbuster agreement will cover two leagues: The Madden NFL 18 Club Championship and the Madden NFL 18 Ultimate League. The earlier, which will feature players representing all 32 NFL franchises, will begin at the NFL Pro Bowl in Orlando, Florida, and end with the finals during the week of Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis next Feb. 1.
Later, the Madden NFL 18 Ultimate League starts on Feb. 2 and runs through April 28. The Ultimate League is a tournament featuring the 16 top Madden players in a one-on-one format. Six players qualified by finishing in the top 2 at one of the three EA Majors: The Madden NFL 18 Classic, Madden NFL 18 Challenge and Madden NFL 18 Club Championship, with the remaining 10 selected as top series points earners.
“We are excited to partner with EA SPORTS and ESPN to bring the Madden Club Championship and Madden Ultimate League to the millions of Madden NFL fans globally and to broadcast these competitions from our key fan events, like the Super Bowl and the Draft,” Chris Halpin, Chief Strategy Officer of the NFL, said in a statement.
Check back with SGO regularly for all the latest news and developments from the Madden NFL 18 Championship Series.
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