Twitch athletes like Fatal1ty are trying to make a claim on sports programming and its rich merchandising spin-offs. There's already a built-in audience, and it's global. In 2006, combined sales of video and PC games hit $13.5 billion, a record for the industry and more than $4.5 billion above Hollywood's total box-office receipts. Competitive gaming is currently insignificant in that universe, with sales between $15 million and $20 million, according to industry consulting firm Parks Associates. But big players are entering the market. In January, DirecTV announced the formation of its own Championship Gaming Series. The matches will be viewable in 100 million homes worldwide, and the prize money will exceed $1 million.

From the article "Tiger. Jordan. Hawk. Wendel?" by Jeremy Caplan and Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates.

Next: The Off-Line American

Be the first to leave a comment.

Have a comment? Login or create an account to start a discussion.