As the world at large copes with the coronavirus pandemic, ESPN is turning to video games for assistance. ESPN2 has started airing Madden NFL 20 for a mix of football and esports action.

Before even much of the United States was quarantined, most sports across the country were shut down. This obviously proved to be a difficult task for the worldwide leader in sports, as the lack of live sporting events would make it harder to get viewers to tune in. However, ESPN recently announced an upcoming Valorant Invitational that it will be airing, so it seems that the company is looking to esports to help with the lack of NBA, MLB, and NHL action that would normally be live right now.

RELATED: Madden NFL 21 Cover Athlete Revealed

Madden NFL 20 is one of the biggest sports video games going, and even if the NFL season wouldn't be live right now anyway, some fans may enjoy some football action in the interim. ESPN2 has aired charity Madden NFL 20 tournaments, the Madden Bowl Last Chance Qualifier, and a few episodes of the Road to Madden Bowl mini-series. The partnership allows players to watch the events on both ESPN2 and on the ESPN app. The NFL Draft just finished up its three-day event over the weekend, something that most likely felt like an oasis of sporting goodness among a quarantine of boredom for sports junkies.

espn logo

2K sports recently also revealed that the NFL 2K series will be returning, something that ESPN has routinely partnered with. Fans have often considered the NFL 2K franchise to be the better football simulation series over Madden, so if ESPN were to continue airing football video games in the future, it may be the NFL 2K games that steal the show.

MORE: Michael Jordan Documentary Gives ESPN Ratings Boost

Source: GameSpot