Remember when everyone talked about how eSports and sports were different? I never thought so. ESPN’s president John Skipper did, however. For the past couple of years, they’ve been backpedaling on that, allowing more and more eSports content onto the network. Now they’re finally giving eSports their full endorsement by including a dedicated section for it on their website under the name of ESPN eSports.
It’s about time! The popularity of eSports has only been growing, and with that kind of growth, it’s unlikely that eSports will ever go away. Now that eSports has managed to work its way into the ESPN network, maybe the debate whether eSports are actually sports will cease. Considering that ESPN has been broadcasting eSports events for a while now, however, that seems unlikely.
While I thought that 2016 would be a big year for eSports thanks to big players like EA Sports and 2K getting involved, ESPN eSports should make it even bigger. When the biggest name in sports reporting finally opens their door for something, you know it’s an accomplishment. So thanks for finally recognizing the popularity of eSports, ESPN. It’s been a long climb, but 2016 is looking like the year that will prove the staying power and legitimacy of eSports. That’s cause for celebration!
Is ESPN eSports confirmation that eSports is no longer a niche? Let us know in the comments below.