"Madden NFL 10" To Be Featured Heavily On ESPN Tomorrow

"Madden" Will Be Featured Across ESPN Tomorrow

EA and "Madden NFL 10," which hits stores Friday, will be woven into ESPN's coverage of tomorrow's Cardinals-Steelers game, which will feature Madden cover athletes Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald and Steelers S Troy Polamalu. Special "Madden" footage, advertising spots and other content will be featured throughout the broadcast. The videogame also will be featured across various ESPN media outlets tomorrow, including extensions on-air, online, on mobile and in social media applications. "Madden NFL 10" custom billboards also will be featured across ESPN programming throughout the day, including "SportsCenter" and "NFL Countdown," and viewers will see "Madden" promos throughout the morning. Additionally, "Madden" advertising will be featured in ESPN Mobile and on the ESPN.com homepage (ESPN). In San Jose, Gieson Cacho wrote, "If you’re sick of 'Madden NFL 10' already, I suggest not turning on your TV because the game’s pretty much going to be everywhere" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 8/11). AWFUL ANNOUNCING's Brian Powell writes, "As long as the clips don't overrun the broadcast, everything should be fine. ... If this was a regular season game, I'd be a little more concerned, but it's a preseason contest" (AWFULANNOUNCING.com, 8/12).

READY TO RUN OUT OF THE TUNNEL: ADWEEK's Kenneth Hein reported EA is running three dedicated ads for "Madden NFL 10," via Heat and Freestyle Interactive. The ad promoting the Sony PlayStation 3 version features the Saints in training camp, while the spot for Xbox 360 features Polamalu and Fitzgerald. A separate EA Sports branding ad features the Steelers. Hein noted "Madden" partners also are "spending heavily behind the launch." GameStop "has been running a TV ad encouraging pre-orders since last month," while an SI ad is offering a free copy of the game with a 28-week subscription and Under Armour last month "broke a spot tying-in with the game." Wal-Mart is giving fans the chance to receive playing tips "from celebrities and NFL greats" at its Web site, and the retailer also will offer "team-specific hint books with the purchase of Gillette's new team-themed razors." EA Sports Dir of Marketing Nathan Stewart said that his company will "up its spending behind the title this year during the launch and throughout the holidays." Stewart added overall EA will have a "bigger media footprint than ever before" (ADWEEK.com, 8/10). In Ft. Lauderdale, Sarah Talalay notes this year's release date of the video game is "so highly anticipated, the company has moved it to Friday, similar to a movie opening, rather than the usual Tuesday" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 8/12).

PAY TO PLAY: USA TODAY's Brett Molina wrote microtransactions, in which videogame players can spend "small amounts, roughly $1 to $2, on upgrades," are an "interesting new trend" that has developed with the releases of "Madden NFL 10" and EA Sports' "NCAA Football 10." Players of the NCAA game "can spend some cash to add a pipeline state for recruiting," while "Madden" players "can purchase individual perks for scouting different positions, the opportunity to keep superstars out of retirement or to maximize a player's growth for one season" (USA TODAY, 8/11).