The CW, EA Sports, and the NFL are teaming up to bring viewers a new reality show. On December 27, 2017, the CW will air the first episode of their new show, “EA Madden NFL 18 Challenge.”
The show will bring viewers behind the scenes of the Madden NFL 18 Challenge, which is part of the Championship Series. The show will follow eight competitors as they hit the sticks in an effort to bring home the $150,000 event prize, and the coveted Madden Championship Belt. The biggest names in competitive Madden gaming are taking place in the competition.
The list of participants includes Shay “Young Kiv” Kivien, Michael “Prodigy” Scott, Drini Gjoka, Lavar “Hollywood” Gayle and Chris “Dubby” McFarland, just to name a few. The series will begin taping this weekend, December 15-16, and will air on the 27th.
Christopher Halpin, Chief Strategy Officer of the NFL, is excited about the potential to reach a new generation of sports viewers. “Madden NFL continues to be an incredible platform for the League to reach and engage with our younger fan base, and The CW’s vibrant audience is a perfect match,” Halpin said in the press release.
From the newly formed NBA 2K League to the Madden Championship Series, eSports are undoubtedly exploding in popularity. Simply playing these games isn’t the only aspect of the gaming titles that appeals to the fans of the Madden NFL and NBA 2k and Live franchises. Watching the best players in the world compete in high stakes competitions is becoming incredibly popular, especially with younger fans, and certainly within the sports gaming genre.
This new show, however, also takes viewers and fans behind the scenes of the competition, and follows the participants, documenting their experience along the way. The highs and lows associated with a competition such as this will surely make for great reality television, now and in the future.
“The CW has taken a unique perspective on eSports, and we are excited they have partnered with EA and the NFL to showcase the stories and drama of the Madden NFL 18 Challenge,” Halpin later added.
The network is not new to the eSports arena as they’ve been airing various competitions for some time now. However, this show won’t mark the first time that a Madden competition is aired on a network. Some of you might remember the popular ESPN show Madden Nation, which followed competitive Madden gamers across the country as they competed in an elimination style tournament.
Games were played in various small venues across the country with he final championship game being played on the big screen in New York’s Time Square. This was before a time when the internet ruled competitive gaming, and the only way to crown a champion was to hold face-to-face events such as these.
EA executives are clearly excited about expanding their audience and fan base as well. “Since the launch of the Madden NFL Championship Series, our goal has been to make Madden NFL competitive gaming accessible to as many fans as possible,” said Todd Sitrin, SVP and GM of the Competitive Gaming Division at EA.
“The partnership with The CW and airing of the “EA MADDEN NFL 18 CHALLENGE” special marks a major step forward, not only in broadening the fan base for competitive Madden NFL, but also in highlighting our players – the real stars,” Sitrin said.
Be sure to check back with SGO regularly for all the latest news and developments from around the world of eSports and competitive gaming.