It isn't Major League Baseball, but it's still – technically – a "major league."
And based on the numbers, the Major League Gaming organization is looking at a bright future, as more people are tuning in to catch the action than ever before.
According to GameSpot , MLG not only handed over $1 million in prizes to competitors, but the organization's viewership is on the rise. They revealed that over 3.5 million people watched the 2011 Pro Circuit season during its 8-month, 6-event run (counting both in-person attendees and those who watched online). That number is a record for the e-sports industry, and believe it or not, the MLG is reaching more males in the 18-24 range than several significant cable TV networks.
Said MLG CEO Sundance DiGiovanni:
"Our live streams of the Pro Circuit National Championships garnered more 18-24 male viewers than Comedy Central, MTV, TBS, and FX draw in an average quarter hour and nearly as many as Adult Swim."
241,000 online viewers in 175 countries checked out the 2011 Pro Circuit National Championships in Providence, Rhode Island, and around 97,000 people physically attended this year's events. They also had the highest draw yet during the season when more than 20,000 fans attended a three-day event in Anaheim.
Well, I'm obviously out of the loop. I don't think I've ever seen any MLG events anywhere. How about you?
Never heard of it before now.
It's been around for nine years or so. Even gets broadcast on ESPN from time to time.
Closest we have to ESPN is TSN (Which is part of the ESPN family). They don't show it.
I always get ticked off when all my sports channels are showing darts, pool, and poker… I really don't want gaming thrown into the sports mix as well.
I want to go to my sports stations to watch… well… sports. I'd be ok with it if it's shown around midnight or later… or on a weekday afternoon when there are no games of anything on. Mornings better have sportscenter though.
My friend knows a couple of the MLG teams and has done scrims with them, it's pretty cool.
The weird part though when the people shout cast for the game I feel like I'm watching a football game it feels strange.
Last edited by Clamedeus on 12/6/2011 9:48:57 AM
Really, people actually watch other people gaming? Ok….
You also can learn from people who play by watching.
"Really, people actually watch other people gaming? Ok…."
Happens on Youtube all the time with all the Let's Play videos and so on. Machinima even hires Youtube gamers and pays them for playing games and making videos of it.
Most of it is for PC gaming (Star Craft 2 is a really big one). I just got into it this year and i really do enjoy watching/playing. To watch the Pro's go in and dominate or maybe even a rookie come in as the under dog and take a vet down is pretty fun to watch (especially the Koreans; they live and breath SC2).
I didn't believe it at first either but now I am a fan and I watch it almost every day (sigh). I guess that's what being a "nerd" is all about…
The League of Legends Tournaments are always great to watch.
@Geobaldi:
Yeah, I have seen a few of of those but not quite sure if i understand the game. I guess ill have to grab a copy and see what its all about… 🙂
Just go to the League of Legends website and download it. It's free 🙂 "Warning: it's highly competitive and addictive"
Last edited by Geobaldi on 12/6/2011 5:41:15 PM
im not a fan of hardcore rounders
I've heard of them but never seen any promotions in my area.
Nor have I seen anything on TV, but that's due to the fact that I fired Comcast from my abode about years ago. And me being 1/2 between Philadelphia & New York City, I get absolutely no TV stations out here without cable or sat dishes. And I refuse to let Comcast back into my live. And sat dishes are frowned upon by apt management.
Sooooo now I only have my Netflix, my computer (a antique XP on life-support), and all of my gaming consoles for any news/shows/gaming entertainment/etc.
But that's OK, although The Tester 1&2, plus GT Academy(which I'm now watching) have basically been the only gaming shows I've done so far.
BTW, if anyone has tuned into MLG from a PS3, a Bot-Box or a Wii somehow, then let me know & I'll certainly give MLG a try-out too.
OOPS…, about 10 years ago
I generally only watch Street Fighter and MvC streams…though I really hate that MLG is trying to get into that scene now. It just takes away from the community that created it 🙁 I really want to go to Evo2012.
Gotta say I like the fact they used a PS controller as their logo rather than a 360 one or (oddly, given SC2 is such a huge part of it) a mouse;-)
Because Sony actually sponsors most of the events.