{"id":1906,"date":"2016-03-24T16:47:16","date_gmt":"2016-03-24T16:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/performancecomms.flywheelsites.com\/explosion-esports-wider-implications\/"},"modified":"2023-11-30T11:39:11","modified_gmt":"2023-11-30T11:39:11","slug":"explosion-esports-wider-implications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/performancecomms.com\/me\/blog\/explosion-esports-wider-implications\/","title":{"rendered":"The explosion of eSports \u2013 what are the wider implications?"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s no denying it \u2013 eSports are here, and they\u2019re here in a big way.<\/p>\n

Working at a sports PR agency, I\u2019ve been acutely aware of the growing popularity of eSports and the influence that it is increasingly having over our younger generation for a while now. There\u2019s been no shortage of media coverage outlining the explosion of eSports and the grasp it has over the YouTube generation, in which the best gamers become pseudo-celebrities in their own right.<\/p>\n

However, something happened last week that shocked me and really highlighted just how big eSports has become. On Tuesday 22nd March, the FIFA Interactive World Cup was broadcast live on Sky Sports 1. Yes you read that right – SKY SPORTS 1.<\/p>\n

\"FIFA<\/a><\/p>\n

We are now in an era where the most popular live sports broadcasting channel in the UK is using part of its programming schedule to show live coverage of teenagers competing against each other at a football video game. People are actually tuning in to watch a live broadcast of a FIFA 2016 video game contest, between two people they have never met, but admire because they are great at video games.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s not all \u2013 you\u2019d be forgiven for thinking you were watching the Manchester Derby on Super Sunday. There were two real life commentators, in-studio analysts to discuss all the action at half-time and full-time, a raucous crowd of teenagers cheering as if they were in the stands at the World Cup Final at the Maracana stadium and of course footballing legend David Villa to offer his \u2018insight\u2019 throughout and present the winner with his prize.<\/p>\n

If you want to see exactly what I\u2019m talking about then you can view the tournament highlights here<\/a>, on BBC Sport, under the football tab.<\/p>\n

My initial reaction to what I was seeing can be accurately summed up by the Instagram that I posted immediately after the final of the FIFA Interactive World Cup.<\/p>\n

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A video posted by @neil_bro<\/a> on