Madden 19 Championship Series Announced, Airing on ESPN

ESPN and the NFL have announced the latest iteration of its esports league, the Madden 19 Championship Series. In a press release from both, this year’s event is stated to be the largest of its kind, as it will be telecast via ESPN’s various networks, and all 32 NFL teams will be involved. The official competition will launch on August 7, alongside the launch of Madden NFL 19‘s Hall of Fame edition, which grants early access before the standard version releases on August 10.

Growth is the name of the game this year, as the initial tournament presence is increased by 60 percent, with more tournaments to be added throughout the season. This starts with the 500-entry Madden NFL 19 Classic, which is an extended season running through late spring 2019. That will lead to the Super Bowl LIII-adjacent Madden NFL 19 Club Championship, which has a record-high $700,000 prize pool.

While only 32 challengers will ultimately face off for the championship, EA and the NFL have several events planned to feed that pool. Online matchmaking will be a factor, as well as Challenger Events, Premier Events, and the four EA Majors events. The EA Majors are the Madden NFL 19 Classic (Oct 11-13), Madden NFL Club Championship (Jan 30-Feb 2), Madden NFL Challenge (March 15-17), and the Madden NFL Bowl (NFL Draft week). Through the season, players will earn points, and the best will gain entry to the Madden 19 Bowl and a shot at the championship.

More tournaments are planned to be added to the above, in order to provide plenty of opportunities for points and to keep the competition fueled through the spring.