Gaming – The Newest Spectator Sport
There are so many options that are available for people that want to watch sports but it is quite a certainty that you would have never guessed the fact that the newest spectator sport that brings in huge crowds and a whole lot of money is e-sports. This is basically the term that we use at the moment to refer to professional gaming.
Gaming evolved from options that were really simple, like Triple X Mission, to games that are appreciated and played by millions, like League Of Legends or World Of Warcraft. The games in which there is a team that participates in a contest with other teams can actually bring in a huge crowd of gaming enthusiasts that will pay money to watch the top teams playing.
What many do not understand or know is the fact that the game industry currently brings in larger revenues than the entire music industry. Revenues are actually really close to what the movie industry offers. Professional gaming events are actually hosted by some sports arenas that are huge. The arenas do sell out, just as with a game of American football.
If you take a look at the statistics that appear when referring to professional gaming tournaments, you will realize the fact that a lot of money appears. As a simple example, one tournament that was organized by Valve had a prize pool of an impressive 10 million dollars. The top gamers will actually end up being paid a wage of 6 or 7 figures on a yearly basis, similarly to the top American football players in the world. The followers that are attracted are huge, with younger players now actually dreaming of fortunes, fame and becoming known all around the world through their capacity of playing specific video games.
While many cannot comprehend the fact that professional gamers exist, others invest a lot in managing the athletes. Visas are now offered in the US especially for professional gamers. We even have universities that started to offer gaming scholarships. This does include the Ivy League, many of the member universities bringing in intercollegiate gaming.
You do not even need to be involved in the professional games to make money through gaming or to have a viewership. Due to the actions of Amazon, gamers can now use its platform, Twitch, in order to stream and make money. Gaming enthusiasts from all around the world take a look at professional gamers and follow them, just as professional athletes.