Can any eSport game really live up to the real thing? Ask any eSports fan or player, and they’ll probably say yes. However, while eSports is exploding in popularity, with the US having 3,728 active professional eSports players, there always seems to be something missing with the eSports version of the actual sport. Maybe Teamfight Tactics is a little different because it’s arguably more intense when people play eSports than in their bedroom.
Still, could the Madden eSports scene change everything? It’s definitely growing in popularity, with a record-breaking 101,077 peak viewers in 2024 and the total prize pool reaching $8,760,450. The viewer increase was up from 91,782 in 2023, with only two tournaments happening in 2024.
Below, we’ll look at how Madden eSports could replicate the buzz of the NFL.
The NFL Buzz
The NFL buzz is what gets people hooked. If you’ve ever been to a game before, you’ll know how incredible they are. And we’re sorry, but no eSports game will ever replicate that. Can it come close?
Looking at the 57 Super Bowl in 2023, it comes as no surprise that it pulled a staggering 113 million viewers. The 58 Super Bowl in 2024 broke the record as the most-watched television show in history, with an estimated 123.4 million people. And if we look at the average figure of all the viewers, nearly 17 million people tuned in for regular season games.
Also worth mentioning is the NFL’s huge cultural presence in social media, fantasy leagues, and tailgating traditions.
And then there’s the drama that surrounds the NFL. The underdog wins, a comeback, a star player – every match feels like it’s scripted. We have to say, eSports Madden replicates that.
What People Love About NFL
What don’t people love about the NFL?
The brutality of the matches, the accuracy of the game plans, and the surprises around every corner make watching the league a religion for most people. Fans love to get involved with the players, follow everything about them, and, more than anything, spend a Sunday on the sofa watching as many games as possible – even teams they don’t support. If anything, the NFL is a way of life.
The NFL has a massive community – it’s a talking point, a conversation starter, a reason to laugh (and cry), and a massive franchise. It feels like the only way we can truly sum up what people love about the NFL is that it’s the NFL – there’s no game like it.
It’s a title fans pay for in their droves, catapulting it to number one in the charts for consecutive months across the summer and fall. There is no shortage of fans accessing the game. A common theme across the gaming industry is the free-to-play model.
At times, this manifests as a freemium game structure – something common in the mobile gaming niche, whereby the titles are free but in-game items cost players who want to dive deeper. Other times, free titles are merely there to offer a convenient, low-commitment entry point to new players. The fact that Casino.ca ranks the best free casino games round the clock is a testament to the popularity of these free offerings from sites; players rely on resources to point them in the right direction, as competition between different brands is always high.
No matter the size of the developer – Netent to Microgaming, and even, beyond iGaming, EPIC Games, and Activision – the free-to-play model has proved important and helped grow the profile of games. However, Madden, as a paid-for title, has fostered a community that is deeply ingrained in the real-life sport. ‘Sport’ is the operative word – one that lends itself to the establishment of its esport scene.
What People Love About eSports
Some reasons people love eSports are similar to the NFL. Fans can meet their favorite players through live streams and social media platforms. League of Legends and CS:GO, for example, have massive worldwide fan bases.
Skill and strategy for eSports are on a different level. Gameplay at that fast pace takes the range of chances for upset victories; however, many sports of traditional nature. And that’s something we think is similar to the NFL. You’re left on the edge of your seat wondering how the strategy will play out.
With community development, eSports very much emulates the NFL. Twitch and Discord are some platforms where fans can interact, making it a fun and competitive event. In fact, we’d say eSports fans interact more than the NFL.
In the last five years, eSports have definitely become more popular, with many famous sports persons playing in their spare time.
Will Madden Replicate the Buzz?
Madden’s eSports scene is very promising. Still, it has setbacks. The game has an inclusion of everything from player outfits to stadiums, which connects very well to the NFL. That might bring the gap between traditional fans and gamers one step closer.
Despite stiff competition from other eSports, Madden stands out as the NFL’s official esports title. The authentic translation of the perspective and the agitative environment of the NFL into the video game is conceivably missing out on some intricacies. Do you think the feeling fans have when they see a touchdown or hear the noises of the stadium translates digitally?
The onus is on the game’s appeal to cover the gaps in its features to capture audiences. With animated competitions, live commentary, improved interaction with the audience, and enhanced communities around the competitions, fans could be glued to the spectacle.
What Other Popular eSports Are There?
Some standout esports include:
- League of Legends: A record 5 million maximum viewers in 2023.
- CS:GO
- Fortnite: Tournaments to have multiple prize pools of millions of dollars.
- Dota 2: Its total prize pool of 40 million attracts thousands.
- Call of Duty: Call of Duty will always be iconic
There are so many other eSports we could have included – it’ll be interesting to see which ones are popular in 2025.
Although sports anchor branding and gameplay have an element of realness in the NFL, it does miss the engaging rush and wider global influence of actual football. There’s definitely room for it to improve, but we do think that Maden is an excellent game.