Today, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced that the culminating
EA SPORTS Madden NFL 19 Championship Series event, Madden NFL
19 Bowl, smashed franchise media consumption records solidifying
its place in the mainstream esports lexicon.
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Drini Gjoka wins the Madden NFL 19 Bowl becoming Madden NFL 19 champion (Photo: Business Wire)
Madden NFL 19 Bowl’s Twitch audience peaked at 97,000 viewers, a
650 percent annual increase, and the stream generated more than 2.5
million views, an 850 percent year-over-year increase. The ESPN2
broadcast of the one-hour final had a total reach of 805,000 viewers,
and combined Madden NFL 19 Bowl Twitch and ESPN2 broadcasts
secured a 208,000 average minute audience during the final, which tracks
average minute-by-minute viewership. To reach more Madden NFL and
esports fans, the broadcast plan for Madden NFL 19 Bowl included
Twitch integration, a primetime ESPN2 linear broadcast, strategic stream
embeds through fan site partnerships and connecting through community
channels.
The success of Madden NFL 19 Bowl comes on the heels of Madden
NFL 19 Championship Series event successes as both the Madden NFL
19 Classic and Madden NFL 19 Club Championship also
secured double digit growth in viewers on digital platforms. The success
of the Madden NFL 19 Championship Series reflects the commitment
of the National Football League to esports as a way to spread the
passion around the sport of football and draw a deeper connection to the
NFL, its clubs and players.
“Drini’s Madden NFL 19 Bowl victory in front of a record-setting
audience elevates him into superstardom and accelerates our mission to
make stars of all our players,” said Todd Sitrin, SVP and GM of EA
Competitive Gaming. “This year was a monumental step forward for the Madden
NFL 19 Championship Series and is a testament to the powerful role
traditional sports and esports play in attracting a global audience of
players and spectators.”
“We’re thrilled with all the results from the Madden NFL 19
Championship Series and congratulate Drini Gjoka on his win in the Madden
NFL 19 Bowl,” said Rachel Hoagland, VP and Head of Gaming and
esports for the NFL. “These events are a key piece to the NFL’s overall
esports strategy and represent a very natural way to elevate our brand
and engage the next generation of fans.”
Drini Gjoka dominated Mike Spoto 41-0 in the Madden NFL 19 Bowl
and became the Madden NFL 19 champion, raising his Madden NFL Championship
Series lifetime earnings to just shy of $200,000. This was Drini’s
second Madden NFL Major victory advancing him to second all-time
only behind Michael Skimbo – a three-time winner. Madden NFL Majors
are the biggest tournaments of the year possessing the highest stakes
and biggest prize pools.
Throughout the season, telling compelling stories was key for connecting
audiences to the Madden NFL 19 Championship Series. Partnerships
with The CW on the “EA SPORTS Madden NFL 19 Classic”
entertainment special and with ESPN on the four-part “Road to Madden NFL
Bowl” docuseries ignited fandom as competitor friendships, rivalries,
triumphs and tribulations humanized their journeys.
Madden NFL 19 Bowl was enhanced through its connection to the Madden
NFL 20 reveal as 2018 NFL MVP, Patrick Mahomes, was named cover
athlete live on ESPN during its pre-event NFL Draft 2019 broadcast.
Immediately after the reveal, the Madden NFL 19 Bowl aired
a Madden NFL 20 segment highlighting the new
trailer, revealed the Madden NFL 20 Ultimate Superstar
Edition and granting viewers a special edition 98 OVR Patrick Mahomes Madden
NFL 19 Ultimate if they watched the Madden NFL 19 Bowl on
Twitch.
Madden NFL 20 is developed in Orlando, Florida by EA Tiburon and
will be available worldwide on August 2, 2019 for Xbox
One, PlayStation®4 and Origin for PC.
For more information on EA SPORTS Madden NFL visit www.easports.com/Madden-NFL.
Join the EA SPORTS Madden NFL conversation on Twitter and Facebook.
For more information about EA SPORTS games, including news, video,
blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to
connect, share and compete.
About Electronic Arts:
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive
entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and
online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and
personal computers. EA has more than 300 million registered players
around the world.
In fiscal year 2018, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.15 billion.
Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a
portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as The
Sims™, Madden NFL, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Need for Speed™,
Dragon Age™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is
available at www.ea.com/news.
EA SPORTS, Battlefield, The Sims, Need for Speed, Dragon Age, and Plants
vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL and
FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with
permission.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190503005340/en/