When the NFL canceled its in-person Pro Bowl for the first time in more than 60 years, long-time partner EA SPORTS was quick to step in and provide a unique solution - transform the Pro Bowl into an all-virtual event, enabling the League to keep it on the NFL calendar while also engaging a new generation of NFL fans who live on social. The result: an all-virtual Pro Bowl played in Madden NFL 21, the first-ever major sporting event to go virtual, while reigniting widespread interest in the Pro Bowl and turning the brand-new way to play into an entertaining and star-studded must-watch sports experience.

Main objectives included:

- Generate mass awareness, while engaging digital natives online

- Demonstrate how the collaboration is transforming sports consumption

- Drive appointment-setting through multiple channels and beats

- Secure mass tune-in with support from top talent

EA SPORTS and the NFL created an epic virtual experience, with players and celebrities showcasing their Madden skills by competing with the official Pro Bowl rosters in Madden NFL 21 to decide the outcome of the 2021 Pro Bowl. The event mimicked the pageantry of all major sporting events, with pregame and halftime shows, and sophisticated production, and fans simultaneously engaged live online and through emerging digital platforms.

Additionally, for the first time ever, players of Madden NFL 21 were able to help dictate the official Pro Bowl rosters through the Video Game Numbers Challenge.

Star athletes and celebrities hosted and represented the AFC and NFC including Snoop Dogg, Kyler Murray, Bubba Wallace, Marshawn Lynch, Charissa Thompson and Michael Strahan.

Top streamers, including Ninja, hosted their own virtual watch parties.

Each competitor was outfitted with top tech (Xbox and Bose headphones) to communicate with their teammates and trash talk opponents.

To build momentum over 3+ months, the team conceptualized an extended campaign to engage fans, influencers and media. The multi-phased campaign included:

- A narrative-setting announcement of EA SPORTS and NFL collaborating to transform the first-ever, virtual major sporting event

- The introduction of new ways for fans to dictate Pro Bowl roster additions through Video Game Numbers Challenge, which empowered fans to send their favorite players to the Pro Bowl by scoring touchdowns in Madden NFL

- Leveraging the power of celebrity by unveiling top athletes and entertainers representing the AFC and NFC, including Snoop Dogg and Marshawn Lynch, and celebrity streamer watch parties

The team took a holistic approach between November 2020 and February 2021 to generate awareness and tune-in for the event across channels and key audiences:

- Conducted widespread press outreach across key verticals including NFL/sports, sports business, entertainment/lifestyle and gaming/tech to generate significant coverage for each beat and drive tune-in for the event, following multiple announcements via press release/media alert

- Leveraged top talent including Kyler Murray, Jamal Adams, Bubba Wallace, and Charissa Thompson to promote their role in the event via media interviews with Complex, The Ringer, Sports Illustrated and EXTRA, driving top-tier national media coverage and social conversation

- Partnered with notable streamers, including Ninja, FaZe Swagg and AustinShow, to organize and promote engaging virtual watch parties on Twitch, to engage a gaming-obsessed audience

- Collaborated with the NFL to cross-promote all announcements and the main event across multiple channels from broadcast, digital, mobile, online and social media

The virtual Pro Bowl shattered multiple records, with fans engaging across digital platforms:

- The event generated 3.5M live views, a 121K combined average minute audience and trended on Twitter in the US

- Ranked as #1 most-viewed event on digital platforms in Madden NFL history

- Ranked as #1 highest viewed Madden live stream in NFL YouTube history

- Ranked as #6 highest viewed live stream in NFL YouTube history

- Fans engaged on social with 317K+ posts driven by top viral moments like Marshawn Lynch breaking his chair in excitement, and Snoop Dogg’s running commentary

- This year’s Pro Bowl also brought in younger fans to NFL Network with the re-air of the event up +36% in 18-34 viewership as compared to last year

- From a PR perspective, across both pre and post-game initiatives, the Pro Bowl generated over 1,200 earned media and