Just hours prior to the highly anticipated launch of Madden NFL 10, Electronic Arts and the 21st edition of the franchise will be woven into ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” programming on August 13, which will feature a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals at 8 p.m. ET. The preseason matchup game features the teams of Madden NFL 10 cover athletes Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu in their first meeting since Super Bowl XLIII.“The launch of Madden NFL is an event that our fans look forward to throughout the year,” said Nathan Stewart, marketing director for EA SPORTS. “With our ever-expanding audience, we wanted a launch for Madden NFL 10 that would not only show the depth of our connection with NFL football, but also reach our fans in all corners of the country. It’s going to be a full week of excitement the likes of which only Madden NFL can create, culminating when the game goes on sale at midnight on August 14.”
Madden NFL 10 on ESPN “Monday Night Football”
On August 13, EA SPORTS Madden NFL 10 will take a prominent position across ESPN media, including extensions on-air, online, on mobile and in social media applications. The date was chosen not only because it is one day before Madden NFL 10 hits stores, but because it coincides with the return of “Monday Night Football” to ESPN. EA SPORTS Madden NFL 10 will tie into the special Thursday night pre-season kick off of ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” with Madden NFL 10 footage, advertising spots and other Madden NFL 10 content throughout the broadcast.
Additionally, Madden NFL 10 custom billboards will be featured across ESPN programming throughout the day, including “SportsCenter” and “NFL Countdown.” Viewers will also see Madden NFL 10 mini-mercials throughout the morning on “SportsCenter” telecasts. Madden NFL 10 advertising will be featured prominently on the ESPN.com homepage with a unique eight-second interstitial execution.
As part of the integration, EA SPORTS Madden NFL 10 will also be featured in ESPN Mobile including video, messaging, mobile web and ESPN's popular ScoreCenter iPhone app.
Madden NFL 10 Pigskin Pro-Am
In the week leading up to the launch of Madden NFL 10, television networks including ESPN2, NFL Network and VH1 will air the Madden NFL 10 Pigskin Pro-Am Game, a match-up pitting two teams mixed with NFL legends and Hollywood celebrities in a high-scoring, fun-filled flag football game. Competing from Malibu, California, the two teams are led by Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Joe Montana and John Elway, and feature an all-star roster including NFL legends Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, and Deion Sanders and celebrities Jeremy Piven, Maria Menounos, Kevin Dillon and Allison Sweeney. Broadcasts of the game will appear on the following networks during the week of the Madden NFL 10 launch (all shown in eastern time):
August 13 - ESPN 2 - 11 p.m. to Midnight
August 15 - VH1 - 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
August 17 - NFL Network - 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
For the third year running, Spike TV will support the launch with “GTTV PRESENTS MADDEN NFL 10 KICKOFF,” premiering Wednesday, August 12 at Midnight. Host Geoff Keighley meets up with players and celebrities at the Pigskin Pro-Am event, heads behind the scenes at EA Tiburon to meet the game makers, and learns which NFL stars should be in a gamers’ fantasy draft.
Madden NFL 10 in Stores on August 14
Following the “Monday Night Football” broadcast integration featuring Madden NFL 10, select retail stores throughout the country will be ready for Madden NFL 10 fans to pick up their copies of the new game when sales begin at 12:01 a.m. on August 14, 2009.
Madden NFL 10 launch partner Walmart will also be offering special assistance to Madden NFL players throughout the country. Walmart is offering customers “turf talk” tips from celebrities and NFL greats on www.Walmart.com/madden. In stores, the retailer will have special offers to help gamers get ready for the days ahead, including a limited edition Gillette Fusion NFL team logo razor with a code to download a Mini Madden NFL 10 Strategy Guide and $8 rose bouquets to help ease the burden on their potentially neglected partners – all located near shelves where Madden NFL 10 is sold.
For more information about the Madden NFL 10 launch events, broadcasts, and promotions, and to view the Madden NFL 10 Pigskin Pro-Am trailer, visit www.maddennfl.easports.com/launch.
Madden NFL 10 is developed in Orlando, Florida by the award-winning EA Tiburon studio. EA SPORTS™ is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA Football, and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR.
Madden NFL 10 will be available for the Xbox 360 video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation 2 and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment systems, Nintendo Wii, PSP (PlayStationPortable) handheld entertainment system and is rated E by the ESRB. Madden NFL 10 will also be available for feature phones this month, and on the App Store in September.