SNICKERS®, Oakley, Gillette and Campbell’s Chunky® Join Pizza Hut as Madden NFL 21 Championship Series Sponsors to Reach More Fans Through Competitive Gaming Entertainment
Anderson .Paak Debuts Music Video for “CUT EM IN” ft. Rick Ross on Derwin James vs. The World as the Safety Faces Hip Hop Star Quavo at 10:00pm ET
Register Now for the Madden NFL 21 Club Championship
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, the EA SPORTS Madden NFL 21 Championship Series (MCS21) announced brand-new and returning sponsors joining the 2020-21 competitive season. MCS21 features the most sponsors in Madden NFL Championship Series (MCS) history, nearly double the number of sponsors seen for the Madden NFL 20 Championship Series, with more to come. The news comes after the successful premieres of new MCS21 competitive gaming entertainment, Derwin James vs. The World – Presented by Oakley and King of the Hill, which saw thousands of fans tune in to the top tier competitive action in their first week. Both programs start their second weeks with new celebrity competitors, and more entertainment, including the debut of 3x Grammy Award winning artist Anderson .Paak’s new music video for “CUT EM IN” featuring Rick Ross from the Madden NFL 21 soundtrack on Derwin James vs. The World at 10:00pm ET.
Joining Pizza Hut as sponsors of MCS21 are fellow NFL official marketing partners SNICKERS®, Oakley, Gillette and Campbell’s Chunky® – diversifying the Series’ non-endemic sponsorship roster. Sponsors’ roles have also expanded this year, with each being deeply integrated into the revamped MCS21 through bespoke branded experiences that will help bring Madden NFL players and football fans accessible competitive action and entertainment every week.
“Coming off the biggest product year in the history of the franchise and the star-studded, entertainment-driven evolution of MCS programming, Madden NFL 21 has stepped onto an elevated platform of opportunity for brand partnerships in the world of competitive gaming,” said Vida Mylson, Sr. Director of Commercial Brand Partnerships at EA SPORTS. “Alongside this world-class roster of sponsors, all connected by our affiliation to the NFL, we’ll deliver new and authentic brand experiences that fuel football culture and resonate with the next generation of fans.”
SNICKERS® returns as a sponsor this year for the third consecutive season. As the longest standing partnership of the series, SNICKERS® will continue to foster and celebrate the biggest plays, most memorable Madden moments through ritualized MCS activations such as #SnickersTop5Plays and SNICKERS® Moment of the Year.
Joining the MCS as a first-year sponsor is iconic sportswear brand Oakley. Oakley signs on as the presenting sponsor of the all-new Derwin James vs. The World tournament in celebration of the launch of Prizm™ Gaming – the brand’s first optical solution developed specifically for gaming. Together, Oakley and Madden NFL will showcase the power of Prizm™ technology, as used by Derwin James to dominate the real and virtual gridiron.
Gillette is welcomed as a new sponsor for the MCS21 season as a part of a larger Madden NFL 21 partnership where they are the exclusive sponsor of the Gillette Style Zone within The Yard – a new mode where players are able customize their avatar, including facial hair, hairstyle and more, to express their individuality. Gillette, as a longtime NFL sponsor, is bringing to life the Madden NFL partnership as part of its “Every Day is Gameday” campaign for the 2020-21 NFL season. Additionally, as part of MCS21, Gillette is promoting an exclusive offer for Madden NFL fans in support of the NFL Team Razor available for all 32 teams at Gillette.com/Madden.
Long standing partner of the NFL, Campbell’s Chunky® Soup evolves their NFL presence into the Madden NFL competitive arena as a corporate sponsor of the Madden NFL 21 Championship Series. Campbell’s Chunky® will bring competitive match ups to the forefront and connect with the community further in a new tournament later in the season.
All-new episodes of King of The Hill and Derwin James vs. The World – Presented by Oakley air tonight and every Tuesday night beginning at 8:00pm ET on the Madden NFL Twitch and YouTube channels.
King of the Hill, in two respective single elimination tournaments each week, pits two NFL athletes against one another, in parallel with two elite Madden NFL competitive players – with the winner from each matchup advancing to the next week to meet a new challenger. The tournament kicks things off tonight with Seamus “Young Kiv” Kivlen, Madden NFL 18 Bowl winner, continuing his winning run against new challenger Pavan Lakhat, Madden NFL 19 Club Championship winner. At 9 PM ET, returning winner Oakland Raiders Henry Ruggs III takes on LA Rams running back Cam Akers, who will try to stop Ruggs to reach next week’s match against Jacksonville Jaguars K’lavon Chaisson.
Afterwards, Chargers safety Derwin James challenges a different celebrity, musical artist or athlete in Madden NFL 21 on Derwin James vs. The World – Presented by Oakley. This week, rapper and hip hop star Quavo will attempt to defeat James, fresh off the NFL star’s crushing defeat of Lil Baby 44 to 0 in last week’s premiere. Over the course of the year, additional stars like hip hop star Lil Yachty and others will test their skills against James on the virtual gridiron.
For those looking to begin their own MCS21 competitive journey, registration for Madden NFL 21 Club Championship is open now until September 28*. For registering, competitive hopefuls will receive a Madden Ultimate Team Elite Fantasy Pack** to use for their Madden Ultimate Team that guarantees a star from your favorite team. Official Madden NFL 21 Championship Series rules and how to register for the Madden NFL 21 Championship Series can be found at maddenchampionship.com/compete.
About Electronic Arts
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In fiscal year 2020, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.5 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.
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*For Official Rules, see https://www.ea.com/games/madden-nfl/madden-nfl-21/compete/madden-nfl-21-championship-series-official-rules
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