The esports landscape is increasingly populated with leagues, teams, and professional players. The NBA2K League, eMLS, Overwatch, League of Legends all draw on that format. Standing in contrast, however, is the NFL’s endeavor with the Madden Championship Series. This remains an open format with only three listed requirements for eligibility: be at least 16 years old, reside in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K., or Germany, and be “willing to prove themselves on the sticks.”
Speaking at this week’s XLive Esports Summit in New York City, the NFL’s David Highhill and EA’s Matt Marcou articulated the vision of the EA Major Series, which consists of four large tournaments: the Madden Classic, Madden Challenge, Madden NFL Club Championship, and Madden Bowl.
“We’ve listened really deeply to the gamers,” Marcou said, before adding: “We really wanted to embrace the open culture of Madden.”
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