For an NFL athlete to make it to the cover of EA Sports Madden football video game cover should be an honour, instead it is a burden that the player’s joke about because of the effect it has on their performance. Since 1999- 2010 every player that has made the cover has also experienced major injuries or sub par performances.
How does this tie into marketing, This may create a problem for EA Sports in trying to find a current superstar to fill the role of being the Madden poster boy. I think that having the superstar player of the year on the front cover portrays how Madden is the superstar of videogames. Anyone besides the best and the consumers may be confused and might associate Madden as second best.
This may be a curse that not only curses the players but the Madden videogame as well!