- Publisher Electronic Arts has built a dedicated esports broadcast studio in its headquarters.
- The studio will be used to host tournaments and esports-related shows, and has audience seating.
- EA will debut the studio this weekend with the Madden NFL 19 Challenge major tournament.
Electronic Arts 
today announced the completion of the EA Broadcast Center, a dedicated esports studio within its Redwood Shores, California, headquarters.
The EA Broadcast Center is designed to host tournaments as well as esports-related shows, and has spaces intended for player interviews, green screen capture sessions, and other filming needs.
The studio has two primary areas: Studio 209 is a large competitive space that has touch screens for analysis, along with seating for media and spectators, while The Player’s Lounge has a loft-like aesthetic along with robo-cams and directional microphones installed.
EA will debut the space today with the broadcast of the Madden NFL 19 Challenge, a major event in the $1.255M USD Madden Championship Series season. The tournament runs through Sunday, March 17, and will stream across Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and Mixer. Additionally, Sunday’s championship match will air live on ESPNews.
Related Article: How Madden Championship Series Helps NFL Sponsors Reach a New Audience
Electronic Arts currently has two active esports games through its EA Sports brand, Madden and FIFA soccer. However, EA’s battle royale shooter Apex Legends has been a smash since its release in early February, attracting more than 50 million players in its first month, and esports organizations are signing players in the hopes of an upcoming competitive push.
The publisher will also release a battle royale mode for first-person shooter Battlefield V on March 25, and that could be another possible esports target if it attracts a strong audience.
