The Madden NFL 21 Championship Series (MCS) is presenting a revamped format with weekly sports entertainment shows, along with involvement from celebrities, athletes, and NFL players. Los Angeles Chargers’ safety Derwin James, winner of the Checkdown x Madden Tournament, will now compete in an open challenge titled “Derwin James vs. The World” as part of the series festivities. Another tournament called “King of the Hill” will feature MCS pros and NFL players competing for 7 weeks to maintain a place at the top of the tournament bracket. There are also new tournament offerings and a yearly prize pool that has grown to its highest worth yet, $1.4 million. The series streams Tuesday nights, beginning on September 15th via the Madden Competitive Gaming YouTube and EA Sports Madden NFL Twitch.
The Madden NFL 21 Club Championship will take place from Nov. 10 to February 5th featuring 32 NFL teams in 8 weeks of competition. Matches will take place online in October, with further tournament details to be revealed throughout the year. Those who wish to register can do so on the EA official website until September 28th, and receive an Elite Fantasy Pack for their Madden Ultimate Team. This year may bring new numbers for MCS as well, with more unique players picking up the game than ever before. Whether due to quarantine, a rise in esports, or increased general interest, there’s been a 30% year-over-year increase of players playing Madden NFL.
The renewed multi-year partnership between the NFL and NFLPA has also contributed to continued success for the game. They also the title for most-aired competitive gaming broadcast on ESPN and ESPN 2 for their Madden Bowl tournament back in May. One can assume MCS will deliver in a big way as well.