Versus Sports Signs EA Madden NFL 16 Champ Frank "Stiff" Sardoni Jr.

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VERSUS SPORTS SIGNS EA MADDEN NFL 2016 CHAMPION FRANK "STIFF" SARDONI JR.

EA Madden NFL 2016 Champion Frank "Stiff" Sardoni Jr.

I am thrilled to announce the first Versus Sports Athlete signing is current EA Madden NFL 2016 Champion Frank "Stiff" Sardoni Jr. 

Manny Anekal

Founder and CEO, Versus Sports

The following is from ESPN's coverage of the announcement.

Versus Sports Signs Madden 2016 Champion Stiff (Photo: ESPN)

Versus signs Madden 2016 champion Frank "Stiff" Sardoni Jr.

By Eric Van Allen

In a major pick-up for competitive Madden, Frank "Stiff" Sardoni Jr. signed Thursday with Versus Sports. The contract will see the 2016 championship holder compete full time in the Madden NFL '17 Championship Series.

Sardoni is fresh to the Madden game, having started his competitive career only three years ago. Toppling the two-time Madden Challenge champion Eric "Problem" Wright this past June was a landmark victory, and now Sardoni looks to continue his run into the Madden Majors.

For Stiff, signing with Versus means not having to approach sponsors or juggle too many concerns on his own. Sardoni gets to focus more on his content creation, like his YouTube channel, and on improving his game.

"I'm making this my primary thing right now," Sardoni told ESPN, "because I can see what the future holds for Madden and what EA is doing to develop this as an esport."

Versus, a relatively new organization in esports, boasts its first signing in Sardoni.

A conversation with founder Manny Anekal indicated that it might not be the last, however. Anekal told ESPN that Versus is "absolutely looking into other athletes" to add to the roster, hinting at more announcements to come. Anekal also identified some high-level sponsorships the team is working toward, pursuing "non-endemic" brands to work with Versus.

"I want to build this up slowly, and from the ground up, starting with Frank," Anekal said.


Disclaimer: The Next Level is part of the Media division of Versus Sports.