Views: 779 The role of eSports
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As i wrote in my previous blog, i play and follow the SC2 pro scene on YouTube. Many casters made money out of the professionals events happening all over the world and they actually ganed an impressive popularity on the internet.
One of the most notable initiative they took is named "Barcraft": it basically consists in follow an eSports in a bar, in the tv, like usually normal sports are broadcasted. I tought it was an HUGE revolution for the gaming community and for the fans and it can actually give at the professional scene a very high popularity outside the normal borders.
I follow the 2 or 3 huge YouTube channels that broadcast the high elo and tournament game abut they dont seem to have the same uge fan base that the SC2 ones have. I think that LoL can be "carried" to another level of popularity, if only the number of active channels rise i'm sure that the subscrive wont late to come too.
This could boost really the LoL gaming experience in my own opinion and can take it to another level if the community will be enough active :)
One of the most notable initiative they took is named "Barcraft": it basically consists in follow an eSports in a bar, in the tv, like usually normal sports are broadcasted. I tought it was an HUGE revolution for the gaming community and for the fans and it can actually give at the professional scene a very high popularity outside the normal borders.
I follow the 2 or 3 huge YouTube channels that broadcast the high elo and tournament game abut they dont seem to have the same uge fan base that the SC2 ones have. I think that LoL can be "carried" to another level of popularity, if only the number of active channels rise i'm sure that the subscrive wont late to come too.
This could boost really the LoL gaming experience in my own opinion and can take it to another level if the community will be enough active :)
I believe the MLG had over 200,000 concurrent viewers for the finals, more than double what they had last year. SC2 pros almost always have over 1,000 viewers and some (like IdrA) easily pass 10,000 or even 15,000. I, personally, would love to go to a Barcraft and experience E-Sports that way. Unfortunately there don't appear to be any in my area, ever, and I'm not going to be 21 til next April. At least I'll be able to get to a MLG event that's not too far away next year (barely missed it this year, was busy that weekend).
The eSports community is huge and it is growing with every passing year, I remember when seeing a live Starcraft tournament was very rare when YouTube was still just starting to become popular and now it's all over the place and many channels have thousands of followers.
League of Legends will get there at some point the game is still pretty new and still being developed in many ways, once they find that sweet spot it will just blow up.
So in conclusion, it will get there it will just take a little more time but as far as how many people play and follow the game the numbers are already huge.
Right now attest in USA sports are the main thing. Now just imagine a world without sports. There be none of the following things I just stated above. I think that is our major issue what Esports isn't has huge as other sports. It's not widely known and accepted. In Korea yes it is thats why there are three dedicated channels to Starcraft.
I'm jealous of how they even have a StarCraft dedicated TV channel in Korea. I wish eSports were more widely accepted. It really isn't much different from, say, football, apart from the fact that it's on a computer, it's different teams, competing in the same game, aiming towards one goal, be it destroying the nexus (as a quick example) or getting the ball into the back of the net more times than the opposition.
"Nerdy" things are generally looked down upon here in Britain for the most part - I guess that could be because we have a lot of chavs, though.
I just signed a sponsorship deal with a German E-Sport Team a few days ago so they can train 3 times a week in the health club I work for free as a counter activity to their job.
Many people were confused as Holmes Place has a very old- fashioned reputation and E-Sports are still target of yellow press in my country but I believe that you just have to break old patterns and cultivate what you love in your own way.
BTW: Give the guys from Type II Gaming some love, 3 already qualified for Dreamhack Winter 2011- and even they went out in the round of 64 it is already a good step forward for an unknown team and also a great way to get some more experience...
Good luck for the future, fellas!