Opening Day of the Madden Club Championship, an esports tournament held this year at Electronic Arts’ Silicon Valley headquarters, was a far cry from the scene at a qualifying “Madden” tournament in Jacksonville last August, when a gunman killed two competitors before taking his own life. According to several witnesses, and lawsuits, that venue — a “video game bar” — had no such security measures in place. For players who experienced the shooting and were close friends with victims Taylor “SpotmePlzzz” Robertson, 28, and Elijah “Trueboy” Clayton, 22, the events in Jacksonville are still very much present, even as the competitive “Madden NFL” esports community attempted to move on at its signature annual event. This growth strategy comes amid questions as to whether a larger “Madden” audience exists, and whether the NFL will play a larger role in the scene going forward. “I hope the NFL gets involved, salaries are in there, and that we can represent for the NFL.

Source: Washington Post February 05, 2019 12:43 UTC