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NBC Sports and Peacock will work with the National Football League, EA SPORTS and Genius Sports on a new alternate broadcast on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. EST when the Houston Texans face the Kansas City Chiefs. Streaming exclusively on Peacock, the EA SPORTS Madden NFL Cast will showcase a blend between the iconic football video game and live action, bringing fans an immersive viewing experience in this distinctive domain. Utilizing data from NFL Next Gen Stats and Genius IQ, along with graphics, play cards and ratings from EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25, the broadcast will implement quantitative insights and developments within the overall presentation.
The live stream will feature play-by-play announcer Paul Burmeister, who has called matchups and hosted studio coverage for NBC Sports across multiple properties. Former NFL quarterback and YouTube personality Kurt Benkert will be on the call discussing the graphic overlays and predicting play options. Moreover, former wide receiver and six-time Pro Bowl selection Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson will be a real-time “ratings adjuster” on the broadcast. Professional Madden NFL player Henry Leverette will also take part in the production after winning the Ultimate Madden Bowl championship earlier in the year. Additionally, Leverette is the first player in the history of the Madden NFL Championship Series to surpass $1 million in career earnings.
“We are excited to work with the NFL, EA SPORTS, and Genius Sports to offer fans the ability to watch Madden NFL come to life like never before exclusively on Peacock, which has established itself as a home for premium live sports and innovative viewing experiences,” Fred Gaudelli, NBC Sports executive producer of NFL, said in a statement.
“This first-ever Madden NFL Cast marks a new milestone as Peacock’s first sports alt-cast. Not only are the Texans and Chiefs in first place in their respective divisions, but they have star players at multiple positions whose avatars will help us analyze the game’s biggest plays through the Madden NFL 25 lens. It has long been a point of pride for John and the Madden family that their video game has helped generations of fans and gamers learn and enjoy football, and we are thrilled to continue that tradition.”
Steve Greenberg will produce the Madden NFL Cast with director Geoff Butler showcasing two teams with 13 players between both teams possessing a Madden rating of “90” or better. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce were two of six players to begin the NFL season with a Madden rating of “99” overall. The game will be presented in accordance with the traditional broadcast on NBC, Peacock and Universo airing on NBC, Peacock and Universo.
NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast, is currently in the second season of a 10-year media rights deal with the National Football League reportedly worth $2 billion per annum. The company will present Super Bowl LX from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. to conclude next season.
“We are constantly looking for exciting and innovative ways to present our game, and we are incredibly excited about the opportunity to bring together the Madden game, our Next Gen Stats platform and NBC Sports’ incredible production to create an entirely new way to experience an NFL game on Peacock,” Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president of media distribution, said in a statement. “The Madden game franchise has had an indelible impact on generations of football fans and gamers alike, and we look forward to honoring that legacy with this unique broadcast of a crucial matchup with postseason implications.”
This broadcast follows several groundbreaking presentations on Peacock this year, including Gold Zone and “Your Daily Olympic Recap” surrounding the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the Peacock Exclusive AFC Wild Card Game broadcast in January and the 2024 NFL São Paulo game in Week 1 of the season. Successful execution of the broadcast is weather dependent based on the visibility required for the venture.
“At EA SPORTS, we’re always exploring innovative ways to bring fans closer to the game they love, and the Madden NFL Cast is a groundbreaking step in that direction,” Andrea Hoeplain, general manager and senior vice president of publishing at EA SPORTS, said in a statement. “By merging the excitement of live NFL action with the immersive possibilities of augmented reality, we’re redefining how fans experience football. Partnering with NBC Sports, Peacock, the NFL, and Genius Sports on this initiative allows us to deliver a dynamic broadcast that showcases the power of Madden NFL in a whole new way outside the game.”
“We’re delighted to be working alongside the NFL, NBC Sports, Peacock and EA Sports to help deliver the first-of-its-kind Madden branded alternate broadcast,” Steve Bornstein, president of the North American division at Genius Sports, said in a statement. “Leveraging GeniusIQ’s groundbreaking technology and the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, the Madden NFL Cast is a fully immersive viewing experience designed to engage a whole new generation of fans.”
