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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The newest installment of the EA Sports Madden NFL video game franchise was released Thursday, and it&#8217;s getting rave reviews from gamers all over the country.</p><p>One local business owner tried to use the enthusiasm for &#8220;Madden NFL 19&#8221; to raise his own profile in town by hosting a tournament Saturday.</p><p>&#8220;I opened my business about a month-and-a-half ago,&#8221; said Ariel Peguero, owner of the New Smoke Hookah Lounge in Wilkes-Barre. &#8220;There are a lot of Madden fanatics in the area. I thought it would be a good way to bring in business and have a good time.&#8221;</p><p>With a dozen participants on hand for the video game tournament, there were a few rules and regulations to follow.</p><p>Players could pick any team they wanted and could switch teams if they advanced to the next round in the single-elimination tournament. Among the popular choices were the Super Bowl 52 champion Philadelphia Eagles and Keystone state rival Pittsburgh Steelers.</p><p>&#8220;We charged each player $10,&#8221; Peguero said. &#8220;The winner will get half the pot.&#8221;</p><p>Each game featured 3-minute quarters and had to be played on All-Madden difficulty, a harder, yet more realistic game setting.</p><p>The new business owner decided to open his lounge at 405 N. River St. after he tired of working a daytime job.</p><p>&#8220;I realized a 9-to-5 wasn&#8217;t for me,&#8221; Peguero explained. &#8220;I didn&#8217;t really like it. That&#8217;s why I used my business degree from Misericordia and started my own business.&#8221;</p><p>Peguero is targeting the 17-to-25-year-old demographic.</p><p>&#8220;I really hope with college classes starting in a week or two that they will come on down,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I will certainly be hosting more sports-oriented video game tournaments like FIFA and NBA 2K, but I&#8217;m always open to new suggestions.&#8221;</p><p>Peguero continued: &#8220;This being the first tournament serves as a good test run. It gives myself and the people who come to my business the opportunity to try this out.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Madden good, but not best ever</strong></p><p>Peguero&#8217;s friend, Jamie Connors, came from Pittston to play in the hookah lounge&#8217;s Madden tournament.</p><p>&#8220;I came out to show my support and experience the culture,&#8221; said Connors, 24. &#8220;It&#8217;s a great opportunity to hang with friends.&#8221;</p><p>Peguero&#8217;s establishment allowed people to bring their own food and beverages for tournament day.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a rainy afternoon,&#8221; Connors added. &#8220;It was nice that we could have some pizza, crack open a cold beer and play some football.&#8221;</p><p>Connors continued: &#8220;What I really like about Ariel&#8217;s business is that it&#8217;s sports oriented. Other hookah bars in the area are more expensive and cater to the hipster crowd.&#8221;</p><p>The video game franchise named after Hall of Fame coach and legendary broadcaster John Madden has been a staple in American video game culture for nearly 30 years. This year, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antonio Brown graced the cover of the game.</p><p>&#8220;This Madden is good but it doesn&#8217;t compare to ones in years past,&#8221; Connors mentioned.</p><p>&#8220;My favorite Madden of all-time has to be Madden NFL 2004,&#8221; Peguero added. &#8220;You couldn&#8217;t stop Michael Vick. He was one of the best players in the league at that time.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Madden players select their offensive and defensive plays at New Smoke Hookah Lounge in Wilkes-Barre during Saturday&#8217;s tournament. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/web1_Madden-tournament-players-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Madden players select their offensive and defensive plays at New Smoke Hookah Lounge in Wilkes-Barre during Saturday&#8217;s tournament. </caption0><photoCredit0>Dan Stokes | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/web1_Peguero-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Ariel Peguero, owner of New Smoke Hookah Lounge in Wilkes-Barre, holds a PlayStation 4 copy of &#8216;Madden NFL 19&#8217; that he raffled off to people competing in the Madden tournament his lounge hosted Saturday afternoon. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/web1_Peguero-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Ariel Peguero, owner of New Smoke Hookah Lounge in Wilkes-Barre, holds a PlayStation 4 copy of &#8216;Madden NFL 19&#8217; that he raffled off to people competing in the Madden tournament his lounge hosted Saturday afternoon. </caption1><photoCredit1>Dan Stokes | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Dan Stokes</p><p>dstokes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Dan Stokes at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @ByDanStokes</p></shirttailMeta></div>

New WB hookah lounge huddles up for Madden tournament