Madden 2010 Cover Athlete May Be Determined Via Auction
by 
Earlier today Peter Moore stated to Bloomberg that the cover of next year’s Madden may go to the highest bidder. The proceeds would then be donated to the United Way Foundation. The decision on whether this will happen has not yet been made but the possibility is being discussed.
There’s no question that many players would pay for the opportunity to be on the cover. Up until now the athlete has been determined by previous season performance, or in the case of Brett Favre the entirety of his career. After that discussions would proceed if the player was interested. The money paid to the athlete has always been relatively minimal, somewhere between $100,000-200,000. While LaDainian Tomlinson has turned down the cover because he wanted to be compensated more, most players jump at the chance without much regard to pay and consider it an honor.
I think this is a pretty cool idea especially with the money going to charity. It would be fun to find out who was bidding and who came out on top. No one is going to make a choice one way or the other on buying Madden based solely on the cover athlete, and EA can still go to some of the top players for marketing the game.
Do you think it would be a good idea to auction off the cover with the proceeds going to United Way? If so who would you hope would make a push to be the highest bidder?
October 27, 2008 at 10:07 pm
who cares who’s on the cover?!?!?!?!? we care that EA delivers a quality football game…forget the hype
October 27, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Good Idea!…..I think Ocho Cinco will give it a try
October 27, 2008 at 11:20 pm
i dont wANT ANY BEARS ON THERE BECOUSE I AM NOT UP TO ANY CURSES
January 30, 2009 at 12:07 am
Seriously… as a Vikings fan, that's why I want EA to stay away from Adrian… I'm not willing to take any risks after what happened with Culpepper. (whom I share a name with
)
October 27, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Madden has felled off nobody cares about this game anymore much less the cover. see you next generation madden maybe you can put out a good game or at least in 2013 when the license is up 2k can make a bid.
October 28, 2008 at 4:28 am
I think some of the money should go to charity and some go to EA so we don’t have to pay ridiculous prices for a seasoned update with minor things.
October 28, 2008 at 4:44 am
I hope some nobody offensive lineman wins the auction.
October 28, 2008 at 4:55 am
HORRIBLE IDEA.
EA are some money suckers.
If some unknown player or O-Lineman wins the auction, it’ll jack up EA’s marketing and the game may sell a little less.
October 28, 2008 at 5:36 am
[quote comment="43339"]I think some of the money should go to charity and some go to EA so we don’t have to pay ridiculous prices for a seasoned update with minor things.[/quote]
It does say that the proceeds would be donated to the United Way; FYI…..
October 28, 2008 at 5:42 am
I don’t know about this. Athletes are, by and large, a fairly superstitious lot. I’m guessing that very few would pay for the privilege of a curse. That said, as a Falcons fan, I guess I should be happy that this might keep Matt Ryan and Michael Turner off the cover. Don’t San Diego fans raise money every year to keep LT off the cover? I remember reading/hear that somewhere. It was probably on the internet, where everything is always true…
October 28, 2008 at 5:47 am
This is ****ing retarded. Plain and simple.
October 28, 2008 at 5:57 am
I’d love to see an offensive line pool their money together to make it on the cover.
October 28, 2008 at 6:11 am
I hope Ethan Albright is on the cover.
http://www.thephatphree.com/features.asp?StoryID=3159&SectionID=2&LayoutType=1/
I’d actually like to see a movement of fed up Madden gamers all spend their $60 to get Ethan Albright on the cover instead of wasting it on a buggy game.
October 28, 2008 at 6:16 am
They always find ways to hype the game. Why not hype the gameplay and other things about the game. I could care less who is on the cover honestly my collectors edition didnt have a cover guy.
October 28, 2008 at 6:16 am
Lots of players donate privately to charity, or for that matter have their own charitable foundations so…to me this idea is kinda silly. M$, you have ridiculous amounts of money…just donate 5 bucks from each purchase of the game to a charity. This auction is silly.
October 28, 2008 at 6:26 am
stupid idea, what if a bad player that barely anyone recognizes wins the bid. are we going to have like a Ryan Grant on th cover or a ANthony gonzalez thats is stupid. just give the honors to who did the best. and for the charity cant EA shut thier mouths take out a couple miilion and just cough it up its not like they dont have the money to.
October 28, 2008 at 7:02 am
I hope dallas cowboys owner jerry jones buys it, so he can have a big fkn star right on the box.
October 28, 2008 at 7:39 am
Pacaman should do it so he can play next year
October 28, 2008 at 7:41 am
I hope Lofa Tatupu or Patrick Willis get the cover.
October 28, 2008 at 8:07 am
I can see Chris Cooley doing it. Just with his blog and how involved he gets with his fans and all that stuff. Just the first name that came to mind when I read the article.
October 28, 2008 at 9:29 am
well good thing its going to charity… now if they could only make a quality football game theyd be right on the ball
October 28, 2008 at 10:24 am
What if a Madden fan wants in? I would put up $30,000.
October 28, 2008 at 10:41 am
c’mon Cromartie!
October 28, 2008 at 10:48 am
Terry Tate… Office Linebacker!!!
i’m sure Nike has the cash.
October 28, 2008 at 11:02 am
Actually I don’t think that many players will want to be on the cover. Jones-Drew would though.
October 28, 2008 at 11:09 am
what if jon kitna is the highest bidder???
October 28, 2008 at 11:17 am
why don’t they just put the letters ESPN on the cover; at least they’ll be utilizing all that money that went into aquiring the ESPN license…..obvioulsy they don’t use it for anything else……
October 28, 2008 at 11:36 am
uh…let me think…who thinks alot of himself and would do anything just to have millions of people see him….maybe…..T.O.!!!!!
really who doesnt think that deuchbag will put up as much money as possible. if that happens tho i will not be purchasing madden at all lol
October 28, 2008 at 12:03 pm
[quote comment="43377"]uh…let me think…who thinks alot of himself and would do anything just to have millions of people see him….maybe…..T.O.!!!!!
really who doesnt think that deuchbag will put up as much money as possible. if that happens tho i will not be purchasing madden at all lol[/quote]
guarateed he wouldn’t put up 1 nickle.
October 28, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Wow! EA donating to charity? There must be a blue moon! Now if we could only get them to put more money into their game development then we could be on to something! Lol
October 28, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I don’t think that many players will bid on this due to the so called “Madden Curse”.
October 28, 2008 at 12:42 pm
I bet Chad Johnson will win because he loves Madden & he’s cocky as hell.
October 28, 2008 at 1:18 pm
the curse lives this year because favre hasnt done anything in the past three games
October 28, 2008 at 2:04 pm
WOW!! That should be interesting to see who is willing to have there face on MADDEN 2010. I guess I should consider myself but I don’t make that kind of money. Semi-Pro doesn’t pay…
October 28, 2008 at 2:16 pm
[quote comment="43385"]the curse lives this year because favre hasnt done anything in the past three games[/quote]
and the offseason drama has to count as the curse right. and what about vince young is that willing enough to call curse. and who would have thought Cullpepper (madden 2002 i think) would be on the Lions
October 28, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Just watch, a 2nd string kicker wins the auction. Now in all seriousness, this sucks because most likely Chad Johnson will win it and he is one of the worst WR in the NFL this year. They should give it to a newer star, like AP, Rivers, Trent Edwards, Big Ben, Eli…..
October 28, 2008 at 2:28 pm
i think its the best idea ever now when teams re-sign next year they will put in a part where you have to put money toward the ea auction
Nnamdi Asomugha 2010 madden cover?
October 28, 2008 at 2:41 pm
You know Chad Ocho Cinco will try to get on the cover one way or another.
October 28, 2008 at 3:15 pm
The problem with this is that the cover athlete has to agree to do quite a few promotional activities. e.g. sitting through 8 hours of one 15 min interview after another, repeating the companies talking points, answering the same questions over and over. Why would anyone pay for this aggravation?
October 28, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Basically an athlete is going to pay to get injured and ruin his career
October 28, 2008 at 3:31 pm
this idea is tight.. i hope AD wins :]]
October 28, 2008 at 3:41 pm
well i mean pays the most :]
and the ethan albright thing is sooo funny
October 28, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I would rather have them auction off the NFL license, instead. If you’re not doing a good job recreating the sport you’re going to portray in the virtual world, then give it up.
October 28, 2008 at 3:48 pm
[quote comment="43395"]The problem with this is that the cover athlete has to agree to do quite a few promotional activities. e.g. sitting through 8 hours of one 15 min interview after another, repeating the companies talking points, answering the same questions over and over. Why would anyone pay for this aggravation?[/quote]
I bet a lot of players would like that attention. Whether it be guys like Chad Johnson or those who feel underappreciated and would just love to have the spotlight on them for once. There are some great players, lets say an Andre Johnson for example, who deserve the recognition but don’t really get it.
October 28, 2008 at 3:53 pm
i hope some punter wins the auction
October 28, 2008 at 4:11 pm
It’s just a way for EA to cut costs all wrapped up in a “charity” package.
Instead of EA paying an athlete to be on the cover, the athlete basically donates the money to charity.
Therefore, EA pays NOTHING for the cover athlete and saves money.
Don’t think for a second this is about EA being all kind and generous. They make out just as good.
October 28, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Love to see a kicker or long snapper of course. But they likely won’t make enough to win it. I can see Ocho do it. I’d love to see Clinton Portis go for it.
October 28, 2008 at 7:54 pm
dude jerry jones will pay to be on it immagine him on it hes got the cake
October 29, 2008 at 10:37 am
I still say let me get on the cover. I am sure I can get some corporate sponsors to help put up the dough….
October 29, 2008 at 10:37 am
[quote comment="43404"]It’s just a way for EA to cut costs all wrapped up in a “charity” package.
Instead of EA paying an athlete to be on the cover, the athlete basically donates the money to charity.
Therefore, EA pays NOTHING for the cover athlete and saves money.
Don’t think for a second this is about EA being all kind and generous. They make out just as good.[/quote]
You’re right. I didn’t even think of it that way. Man EA is slick. They sure know how to twist things. Kind of like when they add features that we had 10 years ago & call them new. Those sneaky b*stards!
October 29, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Ok EA says it will be donated, but how much of it ?
40%?
I know ea, There not talking about 100%
December 21, 2008 at 10:12 am
maybe they should put madden himself on the cover again. maybe he'll break his neck and we wont have to listen to his dumb@$$ every monday night. and that jack@$$ frank caliendo will stop makin stupid commercials.