The Madden NFL 24 Ultimate Bowl took place from January 30 to February 10 at the House of Blues in the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas. Concluding as the most popular tournament ever in the discipline and the first to surpass the 100K Peak Viewers mark.
Notably, Madden Bowl is an Electronic Arts (EA) franchise that consistently ranks among the game’s most successful events. Four out of the five most-watched and three out of the five most popular events in the discipline have originated from here. Highlighting its global popularity among American football fans.
The competition featured a $1,000,000 prize pool and marked the culmination of months of in-person events among the world’s best players. Commencing with the MCS24 Ultimate Kickoff, it concluded with the Madden Bowl Finals where six-time MCS champion Henry faced off against Wesley. A single-time Madden Championship Series champion, for $250,000, the inaugural MCS ring, and the title of the best Madden NFL 24 player globally.
The Madden NFL 24 Ultimate Bowl recorded 700.9K Hours Watched, 101K Peak Viewers, and 45.7 Average Viewers during its 15-hour airtime. These figures represented significant increases of 39.8%, 131%, and 58.06%, respectively, compared to the previous iteration, the Madden 23 Ultimate Madden Bowl.
Crucial overall stats from the Madden NFL 24 Ultimate Bowl reveal that last year’s event, despite having the same prize pools, underperformed.
Changes in format and an increase in the number of in-person tournaments (from four to six) played a role. Providing more matches and opportunities for viewers to engage with their favorite pro gamers live.
The success of the 2024 Ultimate Bowl can be attributed to drops available on multiple streaming services. Such as Twitch, YouTube, and Kick, providing rewards like drop packs, token packs, and drop reward players at different intervals during live matches.
Lastly, besides its proximity to Super Bowl LVIII, fan engagement in the finals reached an all-time high. Due to eventual winner Henry’s pursuit of a discipline record. With a career earnings mark just shy of seven figures before the showpiece match, Henry became the first-ever Madden millionaire. With impressive MCS earnings totaling $1,170,975. Wesley, at 25 years old from Austin, secured second place with a lifetime income of $720,675. Which, though less compared to other disciplines, stands as a significant achievement.
Considering all tournaments in the Madden NFL video game, the Madden NFL 24 Ultimate Bowl emerges as the most successful. Making history as the first in Madden NFL to surpass the hundred thousand peak concurrent viewers milestone. Surpassing the previous record set by the Madden NFL 19 Bowl. It stands as the third-most-watched competition in discipline history. With the MCS Ultimate Madden Bowl 22 leading the table and the 2019’s iteration in second place, highlighting the Madden Bowl series’ dominance.
The return of the Madden Bowl in the 2024 MCS version, enhanced by sponsorship deals with Lexus, increased gaming platforms (including cross-platform play), and the inclusion of players from two continents, marks a highly successful season. Additionally, with a docuseries in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports in progress, the future looks promising for one of the world’s most popular sports video games.
