EA Expands Fan Voting Program For Madden NFL Cover Athlete

EA is once again asking fans to pick the cover athlete that will grace the cover of this year's Madden football title, expanding a public voting program started last year. Players from all 32 NFL teams -- chosen for their 2010 performance, visibility and overall career -- are represented on a voting bracket revealed today in a promotional debut on ESPN's SportsNation. Fans can vote online on which player will advance in each round of the bracket until the results are revealed on a SportsNation broadcast planned for April 27. The new voting system is a major expansion of last year's Madden cover vote, in which New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees easily defeated Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne and Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen. “Whether it be from fans, media, agents, or even the players themselves, there’s never a shortage of opinions when it comes to the annual selection of the Madden NFL cover athlete,” said EA Sports senior product manager Anthony Stevenson in a statement. Madden NFL has consistently been one of the industry's top-selling games, ranking second in NPD's list of top-selling new retail titles for 2010. But the success of this year's Madden release might be impacted by a potential NFL lockout, which could cancel or delay the professional football season for the year. The NFL recently reduced EA's licensing fees for the year due to the lockout threat, while also extending EA's exclusive licensing relationship with the pro football organization through 2013. EA is reportedly developing a movie about the widely known "Madden Curse," which supposedly brings misfortune to whichever player graces that year's cover of the annual football franchise.