People Talking About A Video Game: That'll Be 20 Bucks, Please

Leitch|published: 07/26/2006, 4:00pm EDT

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Sometimes we wonder if we're piling on ESPN, if we're just looking for things that are wrong, never giving them the benefit of the doubt, just out to criticize all the time, whether it's merited or not. Are we just being Negative Nellies? Are we unreasonable? We wonder. We're introspective that way.

And then they go and do something like this.

ESPN is convinced that pent-up demand for the Aug. 22 release of the videogame "Madden NFL 07" is so enormous that it has created an hourlong pay-per-view special about the game to kick off on Aug. 4. "Inside Madden NFL 07," produced by ESPN Original Entertainment, will be available for purchase right up to Aug. 22 for $19.95.

Now listen: We love Madden. And we can't wait for the game to come out. But we do not believe fans are such slobbering, brainless, herdish drones that they will play $20 to watch people talk about a video game. Apparently ESPN differs.

Of course, we paid $25 to watch OJ Simpson play practical jokes, so what the hell do we know?

ESPN Mad For Madden [Variety] OJ Simpson, Unplugged [Deadspin]