Soldier Field makes Madden video game for first time

It’s too early to tell if the Soldier Field playing surface in the EA Sports Madden 12 video game will hold the same characteristics as the actual turf and be extra slippery, but for the first time the stadium in Chicago will be included in the game.

In the past, it’s simply been known as “Chicago Stadium,” but the Chicago Park District is finalizing an agreement with the makers of the game to give EA the right to use “Soldier Field" for the home of the Chicago Bears.

“They never reached out to us in past years," Soldier Field spokesman Lucca Serra told the NFP’s Dan Pompei. "We absolutely wanted to work with them, be well represented in the game and have an accurate depiction of the stadium. Apparently there was a misunderstanding that we were not interested."

In return, the Park District is expected to receive a “minimal stipend” for the name and likenesses to be used.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune