EA Sports and the NFL Extend Madden NFL Championship Series Partnership

Written by Brandon Hofer on August 10, 2022

News: A multi-year partnership has been revealed which will keep the Madden NFL Championship Series running with some big prize money.

Electronic Arts and the NFL have revealed a multi-year partnership renewal for the EA Sports Madden NFL Championship Series (MCS). The announcement follows competitive Madden NFL’s best season in history as last year’s MCS 22 achieved a 4x broadcast increase for its average minute audience year-over-year. The agreement will help align MCS with NFL events and key moments throughout the season, as the NFL and EA continue to grow and deepen NFL fandom through esports.

“Madden NFL esports continues to deepen the love of the game with fans, players, and viewers. It’s teaching viewers how to improve at the game while deepening engagement with Madden’s most loyal fanbase,” said Brent Koning, VP of EA Esports. “Since the MCS started five years ago, it has helped showcase the game by elevating the greatest players in the world, while giving every single Madden NFL player the chance to go from couch to champion. We can’t wait to see how the MCS 23 season unfolds.”

“As a trusted partner for more than 30 years, EA’s commitment to football authenticity with Madden NFL is exemplary,” said Ed Kiang, VP, Video Gaming at the NFL. “Extending our partnership with EA is another avenue for the League to grow fandom off the field and enhance the EA Sports Madden NFL Championship Series by aligning Madden competitive gaming with NFL moments. Our joint efforts will drive the type of excitement that NFL fans expect while also highlighting the best Madden players in the world.”

To maximize reach and fan engagement, the recently announced MCS 23 calendar will closely align with the NFL season, culminating with the Ultimate Madden NFL 23 Bowl during the week of Super Bowl LVII, as $1.7 million in total prize money is up for grabs throughout the season.

The NFL and EA will partner on new experiences to provide fans around the world with more ways to connect with NFL football. Additionally, Campbell’s Chunky Soup will return as an MCS partner and receive virtual naming rights to the uniquely created Campbell's Chunky Stadium.

MCS 23 will feature an expanded competitive program for football and esports fans, providing more ways to compete and additional entertainment to watch. A high-level breakdown of MCS 23 tournaments, qualification, and registration details can be found below.

More details of the partnership will be shared in the coming months, with information on EA Sports FC products being made available in Summer 2023.

Ultimate Kickoff

Registration: August 8-21

Qualifiers: August 20-28

Broadcast: September 7 & 9

Prize Pool: $180,000

Ultimate Thanksgiving

Registration: September 5 - October 2

Qualifiers: October 1 – October 23

Broadcast: November 9-16

Prize Pool: $260,000

Ultimate Wild Card

Registration: November 7 - December 1

Qualifiers: November 29 - December 18

Broadcast: January 6-11

Prize Pool: $260,000

Last Chance Qualifier

Registration: January 2-14

Qualifiers: January 14-15

Ultimate Madden NFL 23 Bowl

Broadcast: January 23 & 27; February 2-3 & 10

Prize Pool: $1,000,000

Will you be participating in the Madden NFL Championship Series this season? If not, will you be watching it?