eSports are a BIG opportunity for live streaming production
By Jim Bask
eSports is the real deal folks. Tracking similar (or even faster) growth than Xgames or MMA. More people are watching eSports World Championships for League of Legends tournaments than the NBA finals, World Series and in the near future even the (Gasp) Super Bowl!
Kids are getting full rides to top engineering schools because of their eSports abilities. Live streaming gameplay is a growth opportunity for our industry. We sell many products that allow you to stream your individual gameplay and even your own local eSports tournaments.
Morgan Stanely: Have eSports Hit the Majors?
eSports is on track to be a $1.5 billion industry by 2020 as it emulates the business models of major league sports, complete with sponsorships, advertising, media rights, ticket sales and merchandise.
In arenas around the world, people are paying top dollar to see their favorite elite players and teams in action, while millions of global viewers watch from afar. These competitions have all the same elements of traditional sporting events with one nuance: Players connect passes and strike their opponents with handheld video game controllers, and rarely do they leave their chairs.
Old-school sports fans may roll their eyes, but eSports—professional video gaming—is gaining traction as a spectator sport, garnering ticket sales, attracting major sponsorships and grabbing a growing share of advertising dollars. The segment is organizing around professional teams and leagues, many of them run by same high-profile owners of traditional major league sports. read more…
NHL becomes latest sporting league to join eSports
The NHL has unveiled its first foray into esports — the 2018 NHL Gaming World Championship.
The $100,000 US tournament will feature separate online qualifying events in Canada, the U.S. and Europe with each region sending two finalists to the 2018 NHL Gaming Final set for June 19 in Las Vegas.
The winner will claim the championship trophy, collect a cash prize of $50,000 and take part in the 2018 NHL Awards show.
The NHL sees the virtual hockey tournament as just its opening esports salvo, with member teams likely to develop their own esports opportunities down the line. But in organizing the inaugural world championship, the aim is to allow as many people to get involved as possible. read more…
Forget the Super Bowl, esports may be the spectator sport of the future
As industry experts speculate about traditional sports’ waning popularity, the $1.5 billion dollar pro gaming – or eSports – industry looks more and more poised to steal some of their spotlight. Born out of living room LAN parties, and then esoteric conventions, eSports is now a worldwide network of pro gaming tournaments and leagues, with legitimate teams boasting international followings and lucrative sponsorships.
And much of world is taking notice. Media giants like ESPN and Turner have begun broadcasting eSports tournaments and Amazon paid nearly $1 billion in 2014 for the live streaming eSports video platform Twitch. More recently, even YouTube and Facebook have sought to contest control of the live streaming eSports broadcasting market. read more…