ZFarls- Wait a tick here, So not only do I have to buy the game but now I have to pay the extra 5 dollars to hop on and play the way I want to play it? Now we aren't sure if this rumor is true but if so it will be BS.
Imagine paying 60 dollars to play at a local golf course and you line up to drive off the first tee. The ranger walks up and says hey buddy, you can only tee off from the whites, if you want to play the blue tees that will be another 5 bucks? Would you stand for that?
EA has taken unfair criticism in my mind for being a conglomerate and having the exclusive Madden license. However, if this is true then they are taking it to a whole new level. They have already started partnering with gamestop for exclusive demo codes and this will be the worst of all.
Why not make two different lobbies for online play, one for sim and one for "tourney style" for now? I mean the majority of gamers will not be affected by paying for elite status but the ones who care enough to stand for it will be. The true gamers that wait for release and play a ton will be the ones paying not little timmy who screams into the mic and whose mom buys him the game.
If you pay 60 dollars for something, you should be able to play it however you want. I am totally cool with sim players who are trying to recreate that NFL experience and they should not be affected by more hardcore players.
However, I completely understand those gamers who want to be the best at everything they do and will RC because it increases the chances of winning. When they matchup against other players using the same tactics then it creates a level playing field. I am not down with glitches, but those are banned at tourney's anyway and take no skill. Someone who is taking the quick way out for wins will never be a good player and I stand by that.
Overall, Madden 10 is a great game so far and I hope EA has a decent explanation besides money and that this may just be a rumor. Ultimately, 5 dollars isn't alot of money but the principle and standard it sets could be worth millions. Should you have to pay for a patch or should they do it for free because you expect the game to be working originally?
I think NHL 09 did the absolute best job in patching a game that I have ever seen. They took our most glaring complaints and quickly resolved them. Then they tuned the gameplay with the second update. Now EA doesn't just sell me CD Discs. They sell me a commitment and product year after year which should only be getting better. NHL 10 is an absolute MUST BUY for me because the developers truly cared about their fans and did an amazing job listening and implementing. On the other hand, NCAA 09 didn't give me this feeling or experience and I skipped out on NCAA 10.
In the end, tourney players don't want rocket catching in the game. The true guys at the top like the problem and Kstarr will be able to get "dots" no matter how the game is configured. They will play whatever game comes out in August. If its a sim style game that pleases the masses then they will still dominate and then everyone can play that style and have a chance.
I guess in the end its the question of what paying 60 dollars gets you, the disc or the overall madden 10 experience? I think in the long run EA will make more money providing the overall experience instead of nickel and diming consumers to death.
Portal 
