Cover vote for Madden 15 has started!

Last night, NFL Hall of Famer and Madden 25 cover man Barry Sanders announced to everyone during the NFL Draft that the cover vote for Madden 15 is now underway.  16 players in the NFL have been chosen and paired off into various match-ups.  The top seeds are Seahawks CB Richard Sherman and Panthers QB Cam Newton.  Of course, there will be talk of fans not wanting their best player to succumb to the dreaded Madden Curse and sandbag the vote, though the curse hasn't really taken affect on anyone for the last few games.  Either way, the vote has begun will continue on over the next few weeks until one player stands above the rest.  Get over to ESPN.com/maddenvote to cast your vote immediately!

MADDEN NFL 15 COVER VOTE NOW UNDERWAY

Richard Sherman, Cam Newton and More Take their Shot at the Cover

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – May 8, 2014 – Tonight at the NFL Draft, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) and ESPN officially announced the details of the Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote. This year’s competition sees 16 of the brightest young stars in the game squaring off in a bracket to determine who will adorn the cover. Fans can now vote once per day at ESPN.com/maddenvote, and discuss and debate on social platforms such as @ESPNNFL and the NFL on ESPN Facebook page with the hashtag #MaddenCover. Every Thursday, the results of each round of voting will be announced during NFL Live at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN accompanied by expert analysis and conversation.  Players in the running will also make special appearances on ESPN programming and platforms throughout the vote, campaigning for their right to be on the cover of Madden NFL 15.  The two finalists will appear and the overall winner will be announced live from LA LIVE Plaza in a special segment during the 6 p.m. hour ofSportsCenter on Friday, June 6.

Here’s the full breakdown of first-round matchups, as well as each player’s seeding in this year’s bracket:

“The Madden NFL Cover Vote is always a special time of year,” said EA Senior Director of North American Marketing Randy Chase. “I’m curious to see if the 12^th Man can propel Richard Sherman to the cover, or if the 49ers fans get their revenge and knock him out of the competition. No matter what, there are going to be some great matchups and intense rivalries.”

“Every year, ESPN and EA SPORTS continue to go bigger with the Madden NFL Cover Vote,  and there’s no better way to kick off the vote for Madden NFL 15 than having last year’s winner and NFL legend Barry Sanders announcing it on stage at the NFL Draft,” said Raphael Poplock, vice president of games and partnerships for ESPN.  “We are building on our momentum over the last three Madden NFL Cover Votes to deliver an engaging experience that puts the cover in the hands of the fans, which have resulted in some of ESPN’s most successful social activations to date.”

Madden NFL 15 delivers everything fans need to own their rivals on both sides of the field, including the most immersive defensive gameplay control in franchise history. Like the Super Bowl XLVIII champion Seattle Seahawks, you can win championships and bask in the glory of success by building a great defense fit to challenge the best offenses in the game. Fans will also experience an entirely new broadcast presentation that delivers Madden NFL game day like never before with dramatic all-new camera angles, as well as dynamic pre-game and halftime features. It’s not just football, it’s Madden Season.

Madden NFL 15 is developed in Orlando, Florida by EA Tiburon and will be available on August 26 in North America and on August 29 in the EU for Xbox One, the all-in-one entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 entertainment system. To learn more aboutMadden NFL 15, visit http://www.easports.com/madden-nfl.

All player participation has been facilitated by NFL Players Inc., the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA).

EA SPORTS is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, fan programs and cross-platform digital experiences. EA SPORTS creates connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports videogames, including Madden NFL football, EA SPORTS™ FIFA,NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, PGA TOUR® golf, SSX™ and EA SPORTS UFC®.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 300 million registered players around the world.

In fiscal year 2014, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Dragon Age™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA SPORTS, The Sims, Dragon Age, Plants vs. Zombies and Battlefield are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. and its subsidiaries.  . John Madden, NFL, FIFA, NHL, NBA, UFC and PGA TOUR are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. Xbox is a trademark of the Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About NFL PLAYERS INC.

NFL Players Inc. (NFLPI) is the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association. NFLPI has been a trusted resource since 1994, delivering access to the influence, power and personal stories of NFL players. NFLPI is a "one-stop shop" for businesses seeking licensing rights, access to players through hospitality and events, marketing strategy and player procurement. For more information, please visit nflplayers.com.