***Update after the jump below.
If you thought that Dan Snyder was going to use his multi-million dollar HD screens just for replays and beer commercials, think again.
We were already excited about the inaugural season of the HD era at FedEx Field. The latest news out of Redskins Park is going to step that up a few notches. Yesterday afternoon, team spokesman Zack Bolno announced that the Washington Redskins have teamed up with Sony for an amazing marketing event: 2010 FedEx Field Madden Tournament. The date has not been officially announced, but it is expected to be just a week or two before the opening preseason game in August.
Sony will supply the PS3's, as well as hundreds of LCD screens to accommodate the throngs of loyal Madden NFL players. It will be a single-elimination event, with a lottery determining which early-round players get to play their games on the giant HD screens (all other games will be played on the aforementioned Sony LCD screens.) From the Sweet Sixteen through the Finals, all games will be played on the big screens behind the end zones.
According to team sources, they expect more people to show up for this event than the attendance at the U2 concert last fall. The best news is that entrance into the tournament is free to all.
Pre-registration is open now, and interested individuals are being asked to call XXX-XXX-XXXX to sign up. Details on game format as well as the administration of the tourney will be provided by the helpful folks on the line.
Tell them Hogs Haven sent you!
As many of you figured out...this was our April Fool's post this year. The Madden tourney at FedEx Field is sadly still a dream of ours, and the number we provided was to the Dallas Cowboys Public Relations office. I received the following email from their staff in the last hour:
"Somehow our PR main number got put on your website as the contact number for the Madden 2010 tournament. We have been receiving phone calls on it all morning and since we are not affiliated with the tournament we are of no assistance to those trying to participate."
I can honestly say that when I called the number today to join in on the fun, I spoke to probably one of the nicest people to ever work in customer service. The dude actually tried to help me sign up for this fake tourney. I feel like he was prepared to create one just so I could have something to register for...and the woman who emailed me the above was also a great sport as well (and even she expressed sympathy for the guys who have been calling them all morning trying to sign up for this tournament.)
Happy April Fool's from HH...