Should Madden Make Regional Covers a Thing?
On Tuesday, June 11, EA Sports will reveal the cover athlete for the upcoming iteration of Madden. Justin Jefferson is one of the biggest superstars in the sport, so he is in play to be the choice. If he isn’t, though, would the game benefit from regional covers that include more stars?
Should Madden Make Regional Covers a Thing?
Video games are a way for fans to connect with their favorite athletes. While the average person will never possess the talent needed to compete at the highest level, stick skills allow them an opportunity to resemble their heroes. No regular person is stepping onto the field with the Minnesota Vikings, but through the EA Sports Madden series, they could throw touchdowns to Justin Jefferson.
Coming off the most lucrative contract for a wide receiver in NFL history, it’s hard to argue that anyone is riding higher right now than Justin Jefferson. He went about the deal without being a diva and has become one of the most significant fan favorites across the entirety of the NFL. Placing him on the cover of Madden 25 is a pretty straightforward suggestion.
There is also the possibility that a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes or another wide receiver like Tyreek Hill could get the nod. What if they all did, though? I’d assume a level of compensation goes into creating the media for a video game cover, so doing something different for each state or franchise wouldn’t be fruitful. Splitting the country into three regions, though, you may draw in additional purchases.
Longtime fans of the Madden series will buy the game regardless. Those on the fence may be more inclined to do so if their favorite player or someone from their favorite franchise is featured. You’d draw people in by going with Justin Herbert, Christian McCaffrey, or even a stretch to Mahomes in the West. Jefferson could suffice for the central United States, and someone like Hill could play in the east.
Video games have had regional covers but are much more common in periodicals like magazines and newspapers. To what extent the return on investment is actually seen would require research, but incorporating more big names rather than less would hardly seem like a misstep.
Then again, EA Sports could just serve Vikings Territory with the correct choice and always go with Jefferson for everything.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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