The platform, June 19 -- the 120 million players who log into Madden NFL or EA Sports FC every month are not just a gaming audience. They are a sports media market, and EA wants the budget to match.

the most passionate sports fans are gamers, and when they are playing EA's titles, they are not passively scrolling on a second screen the way a television viewer might be. They are fully inside the environment. That distinction, Dao told the publication, is what makes EA's inventory different from a 30-second spot during a broadcast.

Whether brands and their buyers agree is the question that will determine whether EA Advertising becomes a serious line item in sports marketing budgets or remains a niche experiment. The timing, at least, is n...