Game developer Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. purchased Major League Gaming for $65 million in January 2016, and a year later, neither company shows signs of slowing down.
The professional eSports market continues to make significant strides in universal appeal and fiancial viability, garnering attention from mainstream outlets and key figures. The former CEO of ESPN, Steve Borstein, was tapped to be the Chairman of Major League Gaming, which is now under Blizzard. There is also competition between companies; Modern Times Group, a Swedish entertainment company, acquired a majority stake in the ESL (Electronic Sports League) for $86 million.
eSports has viewers connected globally, and hosts competitions across the United States and Canada. Tournaments are often streamed on Facebook, Twitch or other online mediums, increasing access to viewers who are not subscribed to traditional television packages like ESPN. Major tournaments also regularly sell out large stadiums with spectators witnessing the events unfold first-hand. With a large and growing base of supporters, the industry is expected to generate revenues of $1.9 billion in 2018.
Following the steps of other professional leagues, eSports has taken to recruiting top talent from universities, and in turn, universities have jumped on the opportunity to provide a venue for budding video game designers and players. The University of California, Irvine has one of the country’s few Computer Game Science degrees and is surrounded by a thriving technology hub in Southern California, particularly in Irvine, where Blizzard is based. The school has turned a pool hall in to an eSports arena with 70 gaming computers. UC, Irvine received free equipment from various companies so the University did not have to spend additional funds on the new venture.
The opportunities are not limited to students, however, professional leagues see large prizes rewarded for their wins. In 2016, the Valve Corporation hosted a Dota 2 championship tournament for the 6th year, called The International. The tournament, which took place in Seattle, Washington, awarded a record total $20,770,640 to winning teams.
While the NCAA holds its March Madness tournament in, you guessed it, March, the following month brings forward another competition. The Heroes of the Dorm National Championship will be held on April 8, on the campus of the University of Las Vegas, Nevada. Included prizes include $500,000 in scholarships and fully paid tuition for the winning team. As you scrap your losing March Madness brackets, you can dive into another at heroesofthedorm.com/brackets and can be streamed on Facebook.
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