Madden Challenge details finalized

EA's national virtual football tourney starts in Sin City at the end of the month; $100,000 goes to best pigskin player.

The NFL has the Super Bowl, while football gamers have the Madden Challenge. Electronic Arts today released full details on its famed gridiron tournament, and this year, the purse has ballooned up to $100,000 for the grand prize winner.

The fourth annual Madden Challenge will kick off where it ended last year, in Las Vegas, on August 27 at the ESPN Zone on the Las Vegas Strip. The finals this year will take place in Honolulu, Hawaii, on February 10 during the NFL's Pro Bowl festivities. Between those two events, the tournament will visit every city that hosts an NFL team and one that doesn't: Los Angeles. Registration opened up for all regional qualifiers early last week.

There will be two divisions this year, the trash-talking, fight-for-everything Professional Division and the inaugural recreational Rookie Division for casual gamers. The pros will be competing for a place in Hawaii, and the rookies will play 64-player tournaments for "a library of EA games and cool prizes." Registration costs $10 per entrant, and gamers can register in multiple cities.

All games will be played on the Xbox version of Madden NFL 06. Games will vary between two- and four-minute quarters.

The following is a list of locations for this year's Madden Challenge:

Date / City / Location
 

Saturday, Aug. 27 / Las Vegas / ESPN Zone
 

Sunday, Aug. 28 / Phoenix / Arrowhead Town Center
 

Friday, Sept. 2 / Denver / INVESCO Field at Mile High
 

Sunday, Sept. 4 / Kansas City / Westport District
 

Saturday, Sept. 10 / Buffalo / Walden Galleria
 

Sunday, Sept. 11 / Boston / Prudential Center
 

Friday, Sept. 16 / New York / Chelsea Piers
 

Saturday, Sept. 17 / New York / Chelsea Piers
 

Sunday, Sept. 18 / Philadelphia / King of Prussia Mall
 

Saturday, Sept. 24 / Washington, D.C. / Union Station
 

Sunday, Sept. 25 / Baltimore / McKeldin Square
 

Saturday, Oct. 1 / Pittsburgh / Heinz Field
 

Sunday, Oct. 2 / Cleveland / Tower City Center
 

Saturday, Oct. 8 / Detroit / Great Lakes Crossing
 

Sunday, Oct. 9 / Chicago / Navy Pier
 

Saturday, Oct. 15 / Green Bay / Lambeau Field Atrium
 

Sunday, Oct. 16 / Minneapolis / Mall of America
 

Saturday, Oct. 22 / Indianapolis / Castleton Square
 

Sunday, Oct. 23 / Cincinnati / Newport on the Levee
 

Saturday, Oct. 29 / St. Louis / St. Louis Mills
 

Sunday, Oct. 30 / Nashville / Opry Mills
 

Saturday, Nov. 5 / Charlotte / Concord Mills
 

Sunday, Nov. 6 / Jacksonville / Jacksonville Landing
 

Saturday, Nov. 12 / Tampa / Raymond James Stadium
 

Sunday, Nov. 13 / Miami / Shops at Sunset Place
 

Saturday, Nov. 19 / Atlanta / Discover Mills
 

Sunday, Nov. 20 / New Orleans / The Esplanade
 

Saturday, Nov. 26 / Houston / Houston Galleria
 

Sunday, Nov. 27 / Dallas / Valley View Center
 

Saturday, Dec. 3 / San Diego / Mission Valley
 

Sunday, Dec. 4 / Los Angeles / Hollywood & Highland
 

Friday, Dec. 9 / San Francisco / Metreon
 

Sunday, Dec. 11 / Seattle / Qwest Field