The NFL’s Power Over Features in Madden
Sports Illustrated’s spin-off website Extra Mustard published an interesting article this week about just how much power the National Football League has over the iconic Madden NFL franchise from EA Sports. The article touches on eight, mostly fan-loved, features that used to be in the game that have since been removed or toned down per the NFL’s request.
From the ambulance that ran players over to get to the injured one to making sure all stadium seats are full in the game, the NFL has made sure they had control over the product that EA Sports and Tiburon put out each year.
The eight features in total that the NFL had the Madden developers address were:
- The Ambulance
- Anything involving head injuries
- Excessive hit stick power
- Helmet-jarring collisions
- Full accessible Owner Mode
- Touchdown celebrations
- Realistic collisions with those standing on the sideline
- Realistic stadium attendance
For a full breakdown on what the NFL requested EA Sports do with each of the above features, check out the article for yourself on Extra Mustard from SI. Before you go, here’s a taste of just some of the things you will read.
"“One feature we added a number of years back was the ability to create a logo or customize a uniform,” says a producer. “When it came to the uniforms, the NFL was particularly interested in making sure league policies were consistent. They said, ‘We don’t want to see the Oakland Raiders logo on a pink helmet’.”"