In testimony during the class-action lawsuit against the National Football League Players Association, over royalties owed to retired players whose likenesses were used in Madden, EA's Joel Linzer said they made the decision to put Favre on the cover before he announced his retirement. When Favre announced his retirement, they considered replacing him with an active player, then bulled ahead and kept him on the cover. He later unretired.

Q: ... Madden NFL Game. And, in fact, that's been a very successful game for EA, correct?
Linzer: Yes, over 20 years.

Q: Twenty years. In fact, the 2009 version was the 20th anniversary edition, right?
Linzer: It's the 20th of the Madden NFL series, that's correct.

Q: Right. And you chose to put on the cover of that a retired player at the time, right?
Linzer: Uhm, well, Brett Favre at the time we decided to put him on the cover was not retired, had not announced his retirement. He subsequently announced his retirement. We thought about replacing him to have an active player. But the logistics of making the packages are kind of complicated, and we decided to stay with Brett Favre. And I think as most people subsequently know, he revoked his retirement and is currently an active player with the New York Jets.

What's intriguing is the timing of it all. Favre's retirement was announced March 4, 2008. So EA had committed to him before then, and decided to suck it up and leave him on the cover in his Packers uniform when they announced this to the public on April 24. It sort of retconned the marketing for this game, the 20th anniversary edition, into something of a longer or more historic context. Everyone - including the lawyers for the retired players, as you can see - assumed Favre was picked because he was retired. Why not? A living legend would be appropriate for an anniversary edition, and so much was made of the use of an inactive player.

But then Favre unretired in July, and was reinstated in August weeks before Madden 09's release. Which means EA got the active player it originally wanted, except now he was playing for a different team, which dents the marketing reason for Favre on the cover. (Though EA did produce an alternate cover for gamers to download and print.)

So Favre bent them over twice. It's kind of funny but it also speaks to the fact that Favre had more than just his own self-fulfillment to consider, or even just his contract with the Packers. He had a marketing contract elsewhere that depended on his active status, then changed twice to accommodate him.

I'm guessing that in the future, for EA or any sports publisher, any athlete who remotely hints at retirement in the preceding season is going to be disqualified from cover eligibility no matter how desirable he is. They're going to make damn sure an active guy stays active and a retired guy stays retired.

EA Considered Dumping Brett Favre From Madden 09 Cover [GamePolitics]

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., - October 2, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that Madden NFL 09 Pink will be available throughout the month of October, coinciding with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Boasting the same renowned gameplay and graphics found in Madden NFL 09, Madden NFL 09 Pink features limited edition packaging displaying a pink ribbon—the international symbol of breast cancer awareness. Proceeds from Madden NFL 09 Pink will contribute to a donation to the Deanna Favre HOPE Foundation on behalf of EA SPORTS™ and Target, the exclusive retailer of the title.

Deanna Favre, wife of Madden NFL 09 cover athlete Brett Favre, founded the Deanna Favre HOPE Foundation after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 at the age of 35. Since overcoming the disease, Deanna Favre has committed herself and the foundation to helping underserved and underinsured women who bravely face the battle against breast cancer.

“EA is honored to team up with Deanna Favre and Target in the fight against breast cancer,” says senior product manager, Anthony Stevenson. “Almost everyone has been affected by this disease in some way, so we’re eager to give our passionate fans an opportunity to participate in finding a cure.”

Target, the exclusive retailer for Madden NFL 09 Pink, will carry the limited edition game in stores throughout the month of October. The game will also be available online at www.Target.com and www.NFLShop.com in October. Madden NFL 09 All-Play Pink is available for the Wii for $49.99. Madden NFL 09 Pink is available for the Xbox 360® video game system from Microsoft for $59.99.

Madden NFL football has become a cultural phenomenon and has evolved into the must-have sports title every year, selling more than 70 million* units over its lifetime. Madden NFL 09, released on August 12, is the First Sports Game That Adapts To You. Madden NFL 09 will continuously assess your skills and adjust the gameplay to keep the experience both fun and challenging, regardless of whether you are an experienced player or just a rookie, all while training you to become a better Madden player. Recently named Best Sports Game of E3 in the official “Game Critics Best of Show Awards”, Madden NFL 09 has over 85 new features and enhancements, including a brand-new broadcast presentation package featuring Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond, online leagues, and the most realistic graphics in franchise history.

EA SPORTS is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® and NASCAR® racing.

Thanks, Devon for the tip!

We checked out Sam's prices for the games after receiving the news, and they do offer a nice little discount. The PS3 and Xbox 360 version are going for $55.55 ($83.22 for the collector's edition), with the PS2 and PSP versions marked at $36.33, the Wii version at $46.66, and the DS version a bargain at $26.66. All this plus a free cover replacement while you wait? None too shabby.

Update - Just got word from Walmart that they'll be printing covers on-site as well, though the games are regular price and you don't get a Walmart card with your picture on it - that's reserved for managers.

Thanks Rye for the tip!

That said, fanatical football fans with a desire for accuracy will be able to download a Jets uniformed Favre next week, according to MTV Multiplayer. It's due to hit EAsports.com sometime next week, just begging to be printed and inserted into a clear plastic sleeve. Ready the inkjets!

Welcome Back Brett [Peter Moore blog]
EA Will Produce Brett Favre ‘Madden’ Cover Featuring Jets Uniform, Updating Roster On Monday [MTV Multiplayer]