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ESPN added CoD to Summer X-games

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 1:37 pm
by tenks
Very interesting...

For the first time in the history ESPN's X Games, pro gamers will compete for medals playing Call of Duty: Ghosts in Austin this June. Major League Gaming (MLG) has partnered with the sports broadcaster for the MLG X Games Invitational where the same hardware will be up for grabs as those athletes competing it skateboard, BMX, Moto X and other extreme sporting events.
http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/28/mlg- ... itational/

Re: ESPN added CoD to Summer X-games

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:10 pm
by ward
Sounds like the potential ad revenue is in a place where ESPN is willing to take the gamble. This does not make gaming a legitimate sport, though.

Re: ESPN added CoD to Summer X-games

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 5:43 pm
by hypnotik_
should be interesting to see espn drop the live cast due to the immature kids not knowing how to act appropriate for tv

Re: ESPN added CoD to Summer X-games

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:39 pm
by Fifty
Why CoD though? Is it really bigger than LoL, Dota 2, and CS GO?

Re: ESPN added CoD to Summer X-games

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:55 pm
by acetamino
Fifty wrote:Why CoD though? Is it really bigger than LoL, Dota 2, and CS GO?
easier to sell in america, to mainstream people, I believe. "Call of Duty" is more recognizable to a wide viewer range.

Re: ESPN added CoD to Summer X-games

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 7:22 pm
by Tin Bad
Miller, Are you working at this event?!

Re: ESPN added CoD to Summer X-games

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 7:28 pm
by akiro
waiting for the first fat asthma ridden kid to say he is an athlete.

Re: ESPN added CoD to Summer X-games

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 10:37 pm
by tenks
Im mixed about this...

On one hand extreme athletes doing these awesome sports with crazy moves, contrasted to a bunch kids sitting down mashing controllers doesn't make much sense.

Oh the other hand, I see this as a legit opportunity for American gaming to maybe catch up to the international scene as far as exposure. I personally think they chose the wrong game, but ace is right, from the casual spectators point of view, CoD = America, so I can see why they chose it.

I don't know too much about MLG but the fact that this is console based is pretty GAY.

Re: ESPN added CoD to Summer X-games

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:17 am
by element
It being console based is probably still along the lines of conforming to the casual spectator. The people that watch X-Games are probably more likely to view PC games as "nerdier" and are more receptive to something that many of them have personal experience with and more socially prevalent in America. Almost every athlete I know plays on an Xbox and the vast majority of them play CoD.

Re: ESPN added CoD to Summer X-games

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 2:11 pm
by tenks
element wrote:It being console based is probably still along the lines of conforming to the casual spectator. The people that watch X-Games are probably more likely to view PC games as "nerdier" and are more receptive to something that many of them have personal experience with and more socially prevalent in America. Almost every athlete I know plays on an Xbox and the vast majority of them play CoD.

Agreed, thats the exact reason why they made this decision. Xbox is just as common as redbull to this demographic.

Doesn't mean I like it though. It's like picking up Arena football instead of NFL football. Everyone knows the best of the best are playing on PC.