Post: #1

I can't articulate the specifics, but the fact that espn now has a section dedicated to video games as a sport doesn't give me a good outlook on the future. I guess I just see it as more and more people deciding to check out from reality. Gaming is fine, it's the issue that it's this big that it warrants coverage on espn (I guess the same could be said about poker).

Post: #2

Still better than the wnba.

Post: #3

delete

Post: #4

This is nothing new, but it used to all be limited to ESPN2. ESPN2 shows tournaments for magic the gathering. And the people winning them are mostly stinking Euros.

I remember an old commercial for ESPN2 where it was some dude on a bicycle wearing a blindfold being chased by a mob that eventually runs him down and starts beating him. ESPN2 was the alternative sports station, had the x games and whatnot. I'll give anyone a rep point if you can find that old commercial on youtube.

Post: #5

I totally feel like an athlete when I'm playing Call of Duty - even if it's a lower mid tier athlete getting my ass kicked by teenage athletes with faster reflexes and more free time.
The creatine and whey protein supplements I'm taking for lifting don't seem to carry over though. Maybe I should look into Red Bull instead.

Post: #6

Shit they have whole academy's dedicated to gaming

If you ask me it's equally as asinine for them to broadcast HS basketball games which are sloppy by definition.

This is just another reaction to the youth culture, and a way to widen their audience.

Post: #7

Surprisingly I don't see much of a problem with this. All televised team sports in general is just highly corporate stuff designed to flog jerseys, commercials, and tickets to fanboys.

A real sign of cultural decline is if esports started to take the place of actual physical fitness classes in school.

If a collection of nerds can monetize their gaming then what's the big deal. I wouldn't call it a sport either but they are making money from it.

Post: #8

I'd watch the Counter-Strike matches for sure. CT's vs T's haha the good days

Post: #9

Can't stand ESPN and professional sports these days. Totally infested by SJW's, overpaid cry babies, criminals and owners that steal from taxpayers to build stadiums. To hell with all of them! Boycott their asses.

Post: #10

e-sports is hilarious, they always portray them with that kind of faux badass crap like in a Fast and Furious movie, but it's all 80 lb Koreans.

Post: #11

Actually the first sign of the decline was when they started showing poker.

Post: #12

Both are pointless, but let the people have their panem et circenses. The problem is the SJW-ism infesting them, not their actual activity.

Post: #13

Post: #14

(01-14-2016 08:58 PM)El Chinito loco Wrote:  A real sign of cultural decline is if esports started to take the place of actual physical fitness classes in school.

Like this High school in Norway?

If you were bored of drama or home economics class in high school, then maybe a class on esports would have been more interesting for you. That's what a high school in Norway is getting, and games like Dota 2, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are some of the subjects that might be taught in the class.

Garnes Vidaregaande Skule is the first high school in Norway to provide an esports course. It's offering the class as an elective, much like how most high schools offer optional courses for sports and arts. You can check out the promotional video for the Norwegian school's foray into esports above.

The class starts in August 2016. To decide which games are taught in the class, the school is holding a poll that will determine the two most popular choices among students. In an interview with Dota Blast, science department manager Petter Grahl Johnstad says regardless of the games chosen, there won't be any textbooks.

Post: #15

I suppose espn is following the dollars.
A quick google search shows that esports / competitive gaming is already big and is growing very fast in various ways (participation, viewers, sponsorship and prize money). In fact recently more people watched the league of legends championship than the final round of the Masters (golf), the NBA finals, the World Series and the Stanley Cup finals.
Source: http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/13059...ry-growing

esports will be printing money for years to come. Players / viewers who are ten years old today can potentially be involved with it for fifteen or even twenty years and more and are guaranteed to be spending a good sum yearly for a long time.

Post: #16

(01-15-2016 04:11 AM)brick tamland Wrote:  I suppose espn is following the dollars.
A quick google search shows that esports / competitive gaming is already big and is growing very fast in various ways (participation, viewers, sponsorship and prize money). In fact recently more people watched the league of legends championship than the final round of the Masters (golf), the NBA finals, the World Series and the Stanley Cup finals.
Source: http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/13059...ry-growing

esports will be printing money for years to come. Players / viewers who are ten years old today can potentially be involved with it for fifteen or even twenty years and more and are guaranteed to be spending a good sum yearly for a long time.