The B/R Weekly Rushdown: June 22, 2016
After a hectic week driven by the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the eSports world calmed down a bit in terms of pure news. With major tournaments almost upon us, however, business is about to pick up.
Here's the latest eSports Weekly Rushdown.
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Could eSports Go to the Olympics?
Despite the toxic politics and rampant corruption, the Olympic Games remains one of the most prestigious events in sports, and recognition from its governing body, the International Olympic Committee, is invaluable in many ways. It's no surprise, then, that some authorities are looking to work with the IOC to advance eSports as a whole.
On Friday, South Korea's International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) announced its plans to establish an athletes commission (h/t The Daily Dot) to both advance its Olympic dreams and to help players with some of the points of contention in modern eSports:
"The International e-Sports Federation is taking steps to establish an Athletes Commission to protect the right and interest of e-Sports athletes, while continuing its journey to be recognized by International Olympic Committee. ... IeSF will work together with the Athletes Commission to work on touch points which has been an issue for e-Sports athletes. Crucial issues such as the VISA process have always been a problem for e-Sports athletes since many countries do not recognize it as an official sport.
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While this story has led to some chatter about eSports being in the Olympics, it's worth noting the IeSF is merely seeking the IOC's recognition of competitive gaming as a sport and is not actually angling for a spot in the Games at this time. There are many sports that have been recognized by the IOC but never been a part of the Games, such as sumo wrestling, American football and bowling.
Even if the IOC does choose to recognize eSports, that does not necessarily mean people should start dreaming of becoming the first gold medalist in Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. What's more, even if eSports does get approved by the IOC, it would take a number of years before they wind up on television.
Still, this is a worthwhile endeavor that could lead to bigger and better things for players and fans alike.
The Mental Rigors of Being a Pro Gamer Take Center Stage
Accomplished Super Smash Bros. Melee player Robert "Wobbles" Wright was the star of a powerful video about the mental rigors of being a top competitive player. Known for his impressive run at Evo 2013 (and his occasional controller-throwing and wall-punching), he brings a unique perspective about competition, expectations, pressure and self-determination.
It's definitely worth a watch, so make sure to check it out.
The Build Toward Dota 2's TI6 Has Officially Begun
Possibly the biggest eSports event of the year will be Dota 2's The International 6 (TI6). The event itself doesn't start until August, but the hype train started chugging on Sunday with Valve's announcement of the six teams being given a direct invitation to the tournament.
The teams were announced on the official Dota 2 blog: OG, Natus Vincere, MVP Phoenix, Team Liquid, LGD Gaming and Newbee. The picks closely align with the top six of the Manila Major but have caused a bit of a stir among fans and players, with some claiming Southeast Asia powerhouse Fnatic was snubbed and others questioning how zero teams from the Western Hemisphere made the cut.
Kyle "swindlemelonzz" Freedman took issue at the fact his team, compLexity Gaming, did not receive an invite:
Open qualifiers are in full swing, with the regional qualifiers kicking off on Saturday. If anyone is curious about Dota 2, or eSports in general, now would be the time to start watching.
The Build Toward Evolution Has Also Begun
TI6 isn't the only big tournament on the horizon. Evo 2016, the biggest annual fighting game tournament in the world, will soon kick off. While the build technically began back in January with the announcement of the nine official tournament titles, there has been an uptick in news about this year's Evo over the last week. Here are the highlights:
- NetherRealm Studios and Warner Bros. Games are donating an additional $50,000 to the prize pool for Mortal Kombat XL. Expect other developers and publishers to follow suit for their own titles.
- Per Evo officials, Evo 2016 will feature two of the biggest Super Smash Bros. tournaments in the history of the series, setting the all-time record for Melee and breaking the overall record on Smash tournaments with more than 2,000 people signed up to compete in Smash Bros. Wii U.
- Evo's Street Fighter V tournament, however, has more than 4,000 signed up to compete.
- For those who don't keep track, in addition to MKXL, SFV and the two Smash titles, Evo 2016 will also feature Pokken Tournament, Tekken 7: Fated Retribution, Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator, Killer Instinct and Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3.
Evo starts off July 15 and runs through July 17.
Alcohol Sponsorships Making Some Headway?
Ads for alcohol are a normal part of watching sports in the United States.
From the Coors Light party train working as a buffer for commercials during NFL broadcasts to the Bud Light logo sitting in the middle of the UFC's Octagon, being encouraged to buy booze and drink responsibly is a regular part of watching sports. With that in mind, there shouldn't be any trouble with alcohol sponsorship in eSports, right?
For a long time, the answer, in fact, was "wrong." A number of top eSports outfits, most notably ESL, have had a blanket ban on any "adult products"—alcohol included.
Things might be softening up a bit for the liquor industry, however, with Capcom building a relationship with Bud Light. According to Shoryuken.com, Capcom USA director of digital media and eSports Neidel “Haunts” Crisan took to Reddit to discuss the company's policy on sponsorship.
“We’re looking at how pro sports handle this stuff as well, and from what I’ve seen a lot of these brands typically buy media (ad space) rather than sponsor teams/players, though there are exceptions," he said. "In short, we’re talking with these brands assuring them we aren't closing the door and want to keep the conversation going in terms of how they would integrate into this space."
He continued: "For player sponsorships, it’s a tough decision to make. ... A lot of it comes down to being fair to the players. We don’t want to get into a situation where we’re playing favorites and saying 'Oh yeah we’ll promote this player’s sponsor, but not this other player’s sponsor.'"
While sponsorship from other "adult product" industries can easily be phased out of eSports, alcohol will likely become the norm sooner rather than later. Companies such as AB InBev and Molson Coors throw around massive sums, and with eSports rapidly growing, it will likely eventually lead to some lucrative deals.
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