Why does this guy keep talking about traditional sports? Doesn't he know that esports don't work that way?!? I'm sure this is a thought that has gone through the minds of a few people watching the videos in the past week, so I'm here to explain. I completely agree that esports can't currently be operated like traditional sports at the top level. However, I believe there is no greater opportunity for grassroots esports than to mirror traditional sports operations. Traditional youth sports programs have evolved over decades in structure and approach to become one of the most sought-after experiences parents want for their kids. These programs take the innate passion and interest that kids have for sports and systematically activate it to have a positive effect on the lives of those who participate - regardless of whether or not they turn pro. In addition to the well-documented positive effects of these programs, they are also a huge source of revenue for the entire sports industry and truly lay the foundation for the entire sports business and fandom. For example, do you think the industry and fandom around Football (soccer) would be as big as it is today if the 265 million players in football programs around the world were left to figure it out on their own? With the interest and passion for gaming in the world today, we have the same opportunity traditional sports had 60 years ago. Why shouldn't we learn from the "master of youth engagement" when it comes to building the grassroots esports scene and laying the foundation for the esports industry?
Short lecture - The fundamental similarities between esports and traditional sports. Despite the popular narrative that esports are not like traditional sports and can't be operated or built in the same way, things look very similar if we look at certain parts of the esports ecosystem. We explore these similarities in todays short lecture.
