Big Ten Universities Entering a New Realm: E-Sports

[Tugg Speedman]

Will the Big East do this soon?

Big Ten Universities Entering a New Realm: E-Sports
By MARC TRACYJAN. 19, 2017

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/sports/big-ten-is-entering-a-new-realm-e-sports.html?ref=business

In a recognition of the popularity of e-sports on college campuses, most Big Ten universities will field teams in the multiplayer online game League of Legends and compete in a style resembling conference play, in a partnership with the Big Ten Network.

Besides streaming competitions on the internet, the Big Ten Network will broadcast select games, including the championship in late March, weekly on its cable network, which is available to more than 60 million households nationally.

Riot Games, League of Legends' creator and publisher, and the Big Ten Network — which is owned by Fox and the Big Ten Conference — announced the partnership Thursday morning in a joint statement. The Big Ten does not sponsor e-sports, which are not official N.C.A.A. sports.

In the first broadcast, on Jan. 30, teams from the Big Ten's two newest members, Rutgers and Maryland, will face off, according to a Big Ten Network spokesman.

[HouWarrior]

Will the Big East do this soon?

Big Ten Universities Entering a New Realm: E-Sports
By MARC TRACYJAN. 19, 2017

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/sports/big-ten-is-entering-a-new-realm-e-sports.html?ref=business


In the first broadcast, on Jan. 30, teams from the Big Ten's two newest members, Rutgers and Maryland, will face off, according to a Big Ten Network spokesman.

At long last...I finally understand why Rutgers and Maryland were recruited into the BIG....their students are great e-game players...lol

[forgetful]

Smart move.  Dirt cheap cost wise and increasing popularity amongst targeted audiences for advertising.

[brandx]

Computer games are not sports.

What next? Will members of the choir demand to be called athletes? If schools can use this to make money, then go for it. But it has no connection to sport whatsoever.

[MU82]

Computer games are not sports.

What next?

NCAA Pokemon Go Championship!

[rocky_warrior]

But it has no connection to sport whatsoever.

Minor quibble, because they can fill arenas full of people watching participants in e-sports.  I know, hard to believe, but a final four like atmosphere.  So it has that connection.



(No I haven't gone, and don't care to, but have coworkers who have gone).

[GGGG]

Computer games are not sports.

What next? Will members of the choir demand to be called athletes? If schools can use this to make money, then go for it. But it has no connection to sport whatsoever.

It's called "e-sports."  Whether or not they should be called that may be interesting, but it is kind of beside the point. 

[Tugg Speedman]

Minor quibble, because they can fill arenas full of people watching participants in e-sports.  I know, hard to believe, but a final four like atmosphere.  So it has that connection.



(No I haven't gone, and don't care to, but have coworkers who have gone).

e-sports are huge in South Korea and the top gamers are among the highest paid "athletes" in the country.

[GGGG]

A co-workers son attended this back in the fall.

http://www.chicagonow.com/pipeline-chicago/2016/10/league-of-legends-world-championship-at-the-chicago-theatre/

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Don't understand it but realize it makes money so hats off to them

[MU82]

I believe R.E.M. is going to break out into "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" any second.

[GGGG]

What is fundamentally the difference between buying tickets to watch teams play video games...and a movie...or a sporting event...or a monster truck rally?

It's all entertainment.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

What is fundamentally the difference between buying tickets to watch teams play video games...and a movie...or a sporting event...or a monster truck rally?

It's all entertainment.

I think it's just the next extension of the "golf, NASCAR, bowling, sailing, billiards, insert non mainstream sport" is not a sport argument.

[Babybluejeans]

I think it's just the next extension of the "golf, NASCAR, bowling, sailing, billiards, insert non mainstream sport" is not a sport argument.

Sailing and NASCAR should never exist within the same clause.

[brandx]

Minor quibble, because they can fill arenas full of people watching participants in e-sports.  I know, hard to believe, but a final four like atmosphere.  So it has that connection.



(No I haven't gone, and don't care to, but have coworkers who have gone).

I wasn't questioning the draw that these events are. I have a friend who has traveled around the world for tournaments.

My quibble was when the word sports is involved. Every "game" is not a sport.

[chapman]

"Digital athletics" 


Getting to be some serious money flowing into this.  I watch a little on Twitch (an Amazon affiliate).  Major events can have tens of thousands of viewers, and even professional players can get 10k+ viewers watching them play from home, which comes with ad/subscription revenue, organizations that sign them to attract sponsors, and invites to competitions.  Has taken off in Europe and Asia even more than the US.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Sounds like the professional paint-ballers I've known.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Are they going to form their own E-Conference?

[RideMyBuycks]

You old timers are really going to fall from your walkers when you hear about e-sports PED testing.

http://newatlas.com/video-games-esports-drugs-testing/38629/

[rocky_warrior]

I wasn't questioning the draw that these events are. I have a friend who has traveled around the world for tournaments.

My quibble was when the word sports is involved. Every "game" is not a sport.

Your exact quote was "But it has no connection to sport whatsoever.".  I merely supplied the connection.

[#UnleashSean]

Computer games are not sports.

What next? Will members of the choir demand to be called athletes? If schools can use this to make money, then go for it. But it has no connection to sport whatsoever.

I played professionally in counter strike and college basketball. These are just as much sports as the latter.

[#UnleashSean]

I think it's just the next extension of the "golf, NASCAR, bowling, sailing, billiards, insert non mainstream sport" is not a sport argument.

Except the only one who beats esports in viewer ship is nascar. Esports is very close to mainstream at this point. Just have to see if it will last.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Except the only one who beats esports in viewer ship is nascar. Esports is very close to mainstream at this point. Just have to see if it will last.

It will. Go on YouTube one day and just type in "let's play." The people who do that aren't anywhere near professional and get a million views on videos. Like someone said earlier, just a different form of entertainment.

[🏀]

Sounds like the professional paint-ballers I've known.

I got paid to play, what's the problem with that?

[Dr. Blackheart]

ESPN has been showing poker matches for years...