NBC Sports' EA Sports Madden NFL Cast Set to Merge Videogame and Live Broadcast Worlds

NBC Sports' EA Sports Madden NFL Cast Set to Merge Videogame and Live Broadcast Worlds By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S.

Friday, December 20, 2024 - 3:41 pm

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For many years, Fred Gaudelli, NBC Sports' Executive Producer of NFL, has been talking about the potential for NFL broadcasts look more like EA Sports' Madden NFL videogames through tools like the Skycam and next-gen virtual graphics. On Saturday, Gaudelli and the NBC Sports team will go beyond the talk and start to walk with the first ever EA Sports Madden NFL Cast exclusively on Peacock.

Go all the way into every play with the #EASportsMaddenNFLCast featuring the Texans and Chiefs, LIVE December 21 at 1p ET only on Peacock. pic.twitter.com/oCGLe15px2

- Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 18, 2024

We're going to produce this alt-cast for the avid Madden game player, says Gaudelli, who produced Sunday Night Football with John Madden in the booth for the final seven years of his storied career. There are millions and millions of Madden fans, and I think we have to really serve them in this game and try to find that perfect blend between the videogame and the real game, and merge them together. So, the short answer is, Madden enthusiasts are our target audience.

The first-of-its-kind live football experience blending videogame elements and live action will stream live exclusively on Peacock for the Houston Texans-Kansas City Chiefs game (1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21). NBC Sports Group has collaborated with EA Sports and Genius Sports to create an immersive, data-powered live football experience that injects Madden NFL's unique brand elements as animated overlays, according to NBC.

The live stream will also feature a dedicated commentary team of Madden experts calling the game from a custom-designed studio at NBC Sports' Stamford, CT, headquarters, and will be produced independently from the main broadcast with producer Steve Greenberg and director Geoff Butler calling the shots from Stamford.

How It Works: Next-Gen Stats and GeniusIQ at the Center of It All Featuring live EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 graphics, route trees, play cards and player ratings, the Madden NFL Cast will transform football strategy, information, and IQ for viewers.

It's all being driven by the NFL's Next Gen Stats platform and GeniusIQ, Genius Sports' next generation data and AI platform that combines real-time data insights with fully branded animations to deliver an immersive viewing experience.

In preparation for Saturday's production, Greenberg, Butler, and the rest of the talent and production team performed rehearsals on the past two NBC Sunday Night Football broadcasts (Chargers-Chiefs on Dec. 8, and Seahawks-Packers on Dec. 15). Gaudelli says that the Genius Sports team elevated its contribution to the broadcast each week by adding additional elements.

We started out with the route trails, he says. Then we had the icons for the X factors and the superstar players. Then we added the buttons that you would see if you were playing the game on an Xbox. We've got the personnel packages for offense and defense on both sides of the screen as it is in the Madden game. So the authenticity of the Madden game has developed to a really good place right now, and I think all the Madden fans are going to sink their teeth into that and enjoy that on Saturday.

In the Control Room: Taking a Cue From Esports Greenberg and Butler will be calling at the front bench in Stamford spearheading the Madden NFL Cast with a dedicated production team.

It doesn't differ at all that much in terms of positions because even in a traditional football production, you're going to have people accounted for in the truck or control room for things like the 1st and Ten Line, says Greenberg. We'll have our own graphics operators and score bar operator, plus our own AD, director, producer, and tape people building packages that will have Madden features. We will also have some representatives from both EA and Genius there to support us. So it is a little bit of a fuller control room with some extra bodies, but it's been awesome working with EA and Genius on this.

Butler is a veteran of EA's competitive gaming division, providing him with a unique perspective as the broadcast looks to meld the worlds of esports and real sports.

One big thing is the picture-in-picture with the players on the screen, he says. I did a lot of FIFA and Madden [esports broadcasts] and you always see the two competitors on the screen [with POV cameras]. Since we're targeting that Madden audience, we're embracing that. So you'll see Chad and Kurt on the screen almost all the time talking on the screen, which obviously isn't part of a normal football broadcast.

The other big thing will be having the playbook up on the screen over the Skycam shot of the huddle - just like in the [videogame], he continues. It may seem like a small thing, but it's so authentic to the Madden experience.

CLICK HERE for SVG's full Q&A With Greenberg and Butler.

Calling the Action in the Studio: The Ultimate Hangout Spot NBC Sports has erected a custom-designed studio for play-by-play caller Paul Burmeister, YouTuber and Madden NFL expert Kurt Benkert, former Pro Bowl wide receiver and ratings adjuster Chad Ochocinco, and Ultimate Madden Bowl Championship-winning player Henry Leverette.

The set, which is located inside Studio 1 in Stamford, has been outfitted with a massive Sony LED display showing various angles of the game, the Madden playbook from the videogame, and other live video feeds. The goal is to create a casual atmosphere similar to friends hanging out playing Madden, so announcers will be sitting in lounge chairs watching the screen. Th

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2024/12/20/nbc-sports-ea-sports-madden-nfl...
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