FIFA, NBA Live tournaments launch, Madden ongoing

by Zack Stern { Oct 12th 2006 at 8:05AM }

EA Sports is launching two tournaments to go alongside the currently running fifth Madden Challenge: the third FIFA Interactive World Cup and the first ever NBA Live Challenge. Gamers can compete in football/American football, soccer/football, and basketball, known outside of the United States as "boring."

The FIFA Interactive World Cup begins November 18 with a series of international qualifying matches across Europe, in addition to Sao Paolo, Brazil, and Johannesburg, South Africa. More qualifying contests in the U.S., U.K., Russia, and other locations will be announced. For this and the other tournaments, gamers can register in advance or onsite. Gamers without a host city nearby can qualify on Xbox Live; more information and registration options should be available on November 1.

While the FIFA champion will score $20,000, the NBA Live winner will net $50,000. (We take that to mean that FIFA is more popular and doesn't need as big a prize to attract soccer-mob-style enthusiasm. Who ever heard of a basketball mob?) Beginning this Friday, NBA Live competitors can play in eight American cities to qualify for the Las Vegas finals.

This year's in-progress Madden Challenge includes dates in Germany, China, the U.K., and Mexico, in addition to dozens of U.S. locations. Madden tackles the biggest pay-out for the winner, with a $100,000 final. That ruins our theory about needing to pay a bigger prize for a game with less exposure. Maybe the prize money increases with the degree of annoying commentary audio.

Read - FIFA Interactive World Cup
Read - NBA Live Challenge
Read - Madden Challenge

Tags: contest, FIFA Interactive World Cup, FifaInteractiveWorldCup, Madden Challenge, MaddenChallenge, NBA Live Challenge, NbaLiveChallenge, tournament

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Raziel206 @ Oct 12th 2006 8:10AM

Oh just die in a small fire EA.

Raynre @ Oct 12th 2006 8:25AM

"Who ever heard of a basketball mob?"

http://www.realtruth.org/articles/0301-watra.html

RIOT!!

BIGGEN @ Oct 12th 2006 9:09AM

i don't know, basketball is pretty boring no matter where you're from.

DjFIL @ Oct 12th 2006 9:10AM

ooh great... a virtual basketball tournament based on EA's worst NBA game to date. sweet.

Cry Havoc @ Oct 12th 2006 10:11AM

Basketball is boring? That must explain why it's the world's fastest growing sport.

Gonzo @ Oct 12th 2006 11:52AM

As long as it's not televised.
I can barely stay awake during regular games on TV. I can't imagine watching a video game of it all. At least with a real game you have a chance of seeing someone sustain a lifelong debilitating injury.

Franklyn @ Oct 12th 2006 12:00PM

The youngest professional sport is always the worlds fastest growing sport.

And it is extremely boring.

fahmi @ Oct 12th 2006 12:09PM

If there are such things as popular but boring sports, it must be american football and baseball. outside of america, there is virtually no national team for american football.. and only central americans and japan play baseball.

basketball, is THE ONLY popular american sport outside of america.