STAMFORD, Conn. – NBC Sports and Peacock are partnering with the National Football League, EA SPORTS e Genius Sports to present the first EA SPORTS Madden NFL Cast of the Houston Texans-Kansas City Chiefs game on Saturday, December 21 at 1pm ET, exclusively on Peacock. The Madden NFL Cast was announced last week on NBC and Peacock during halftime of Miami Dolphins-Green Bay Packers, the third game of the “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration” of the NFL.
Blending elements from video game and live action, the stream will be an immersive, data-fueled football experience, with the addition of unique Madden NFL brand elements in the form of animated overlays. Featuring live graphics from EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25route trees, game cards and player ratings, the Madden NFL Cast will transform football strategy, information and viewer IQ with NFL Next Gen Stats and GeniusIQGenius Sports’ next-generation data and AI platform. GeniusIQ combines real-time data with fully customized animations, offering an immersive viewing experience.
Il live stream, available exclusively on Peacockwill feature a dedicated team who will comment, with Paul Burmeister NBC Sports commentator, former NFL quarterback, YouTuber and Madden NFL expert Kurt Benkert who will use graphic overlays to discuss and predict game options, and the Cincinnati Bengals’ six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Ochocinco – who has often discussed his own rating in Madden during production team meetings with John Madden – who will act as a real-time player “ratings adjuster.” The professional Madden NFL player will also join the team Henry Leverette, who won the Ultimate Madden Bowl championship ring in February and is the first player in Madden NFL Championship Series history to reach $1 million in career earnings.
Eleven players on the Texans and Chiefs rosters have a Madden rating above 90, including Kansas City stars Patrick Mahomes e Travis Kelcewho were two of only six players to start this NFL season in the “Madden 99 Club” with a 99 overall rating. Houston’s tackle Laremy Tunsil (95 rating) and running back Joe Mixon (93) are the top Texans in Madden ratings.
“We are thrilled to partner with the NFL, EA SPORTS and Genius Sports to give fans the chance to see Madden NFL come to life like never before exclusively on Peacock, which has established itself as the home for premium live sports and for the innovative experiences it offers. This first Madden NFL Cast marks a new milestone as Peacock’s first sports alt-cast,” said Fred Gaudelli, NBC Sports’ Executive Producer of NFL, who was the lead producer for the last seven seasons of John Madden in the broadcast cast (2002-05 at ABC, 2006-08 at NBC). “The Texans and Chiefs not only rank first in their respective divisions, but they have stellar players at multiple positions whose avatars will help us analyze the biggest plays through the lens of Madden NFL 25.” It has long been a point of pride for John and the Madden family that their video game has helped generations of fans and players learn and enjoy football, and we are excited to continue that tradition.”
“We are constantly looking for exciting and innovative ways to present our game and are incredibly excited about the opportunity to bring together the Madden game, our Next Gen Stats platform and the incredible production of NBC Sports to create an entirely new way to experience an NFL game on Peacock,” said Hans Schroeder, NFL Executive Vice President, Media Distribution. “The Madden game series has had an indelible impact on generations of football fans and players, and we look forward to honoring that legacy with a unique broadcast dedicated to a crucial game with implications for the postseason.”
“With EA SPORTS we are always exploring innovative ways to bring fans closer to the game they love, and Madden NFL Cast is a significant step in that direction,” said Andrea Hopelain, GM & SVP, Publishing, EA SPORTS. By fusing the excitement of live NFL action with the immersive possibilities of augmented reality, we are redefining how fans experience football. Partnering with NBC Sports, Peacock, NFL and Genius Sports on this initiative allows us to deliver a dynamic broadcast that showcases the power of Madden NFL in an entirely new way outside of the game.”
“We are pleased to work alongside the NFL, NBC Sports, Peacock and EA Sports to help bring the first alternative broadcast of Madden to life,” said Steve Bornstein, President, North America at Genius Sports. “Leveraging GeniusIQ’s innovative technology and NFL Next Gen Stats, the Madden NFL Cast is a fully immersive viewing experience designed to engage a whole new generation of fans.”
Il Madden NFL Cast will be produced by Steve Greenberg and directed by Geoff Butler. Il Madden NFL Cast follows several sports industry milestones on Peacock this year, including the record-breaking Peacock Exclusive AFC Wild Card Game last January, the first NFL game in Brazil broadcast exclusively on Peacock and the critically acclaimed viewing experience for the 2024 Paris Olympics, highlighted by the show Gold Zoneloved by fans, and product features such as AI-powered “Your Daily Olympic Recap” and Multiview, which will be available for select Premier League matches from 4 December.
NBC Sports’ award-winning Texans-Chiefs coverage will also be featured on Saturday, December 21 at 1:00 pm ET on NBC, Peacock and Universo, featuring the special Football Night in America at noon ET on NBC and Peacock. The realization of Madden NFL Cast depends on the weather conditions, given the visibility required.
Source: Press release
