Predictions
As a child if you had told me that competitive gaming could net me millions of dollars I would have looked at you and called you crazy. But with gamers like those of China's Team Newbee netting over one million each for a single DOTA 2 tournament it's just the new reality we live in. To put it into perspective the prize was 5 million dollars and they split it up 5 ways. I think back to being 12 years old and absolutely decimating people at Halo Reach and wonder if maybe I should have spent less time studying and playing basketball and more time grinding away at video games. With athletes like Ninja, yes he's considered a "gaming athlete", getting invites to red carpet events and even being signed to Adidas it sounds like my childhood NBA dreams but with a lot less dribbling. And with a net worth of 15 million he lives very comfortably. I anticipate this is going to be the new normal in the future. Gaming athletes being revered as highly as traditional ones that is. I also believe many colleges will start offering gaming scholarships, we are already seeing this to some extent. Like it or not gaming is now right in the mix of the professional sports world.
Even now it isn't strange to see a gaming tourney broadcasting on a network like ESPN, it's jsut a matter of time before we see a gaming exclusive affiliate. I think about these things a lot. I see a future where kids who aren't as physically gifted rise to the top and become super stars in their own way. As someone who showed natural talent for sports in general I think about how nice it would be not to be limited in those fields by physical stature. Yes I can shoot, handle the ball exceptionally well, and even throw down the small occasional alley oop but at 5'10 there isn't a college team that would touch me unless I possessed Nate Robinson level athleticism. In the gaming world me being able to jump high and bench nearly three hundred pounds makes zero difference. A skinny kid half my size and half my age could beat me with just one hand on the controller. It's going to be interesting to see the kind of Pros that come with a sport where you don't have to be physically dominate to win. Skill is the only factor that comes into play. Think about Tom Brady, the man has always been slower than Christmas but he has used pure skill and finesse to become the greatest quarterback of all time. Imagine if Tom never had a good line? The physical gifts of those linemen allowed him to work his magic. In the gaming world these kids can be Tom Brady and they don't even need the lineman. Take gaming personality Dr. Disrespect as an example, he can carry teams of even the most average players and nearly any FPS title. There's a clip that accentuates exactly what I mean, it shows Dr. Disrespect.......disrespecting the competition. Mark my words, E-sports will become a globally watched season-less entertainment staple. In addition it will change the lives of many future children who train to be the best of the best, I wouldn't be surprised to see training to the same extent as parents who's only dream is too see their kids go D1 in a traditional sport.
Even now it isn't strange to see a gaming tourney broadcasting on a network like ESPN, it's jsut a matter of time before we see a gaming exclusive affiliate. I think about these things a lot. I see a future where kids who aren't as physically gifted rise to the top and become super stars in their own way. As someone who showed natural talent for sports in general I think about how nice it would be not to be limited in those fields by physical stature. Yes I can shoot, handle the ball exceptionally well, and even throw down the small occasional alley oop but at 5'10 there isn't a college team that would touch me unless I possessed Nate Robinson level athleticism. In the gaming world me being able to jump high and bench nearly three hundred pounds makes zero difference. A skinny kid half my size and half my age could beat me with just one hand on the controller. It's going to be interesting to see the kind of Pros that come with a sport where you don't have to be physically dominate to win. Skill is the only factor that comes into play. Think about Tom Brady, the man has always been slower than Christmas but he has used pure skill and finesse to become the greatest quarterback of all time. Imagine if Tom never had a good line? The physical gifts of those linemen allowed him to work his magic. In the gaming world these kids can be Tom Brady and they don't even need the lineman. Take gaming personality Dr. Disrespect as an example, he can carry teams of even the most average players and nearly any FPS title. There's a clip that accentuates exactly what I mean, it shows Dr. Disrespect.......disrespecting the competition. Mark my words, E-sports will become a globally watched season-less entertainment staple. In addition it will change the lives of many future children who train to be the best of the best, I wouldn't be surprised to see training to the same extent as parents who's only dream is too see their kids go D1 in a traditional sport.
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