????如果有人還在質(zhì)疑電子競技的魔力，只需要看看今年在美國西雅圖KeyArena體育館舉辦的《Dota 2》國際邀請賽的現(xiàn)場視頻就知道了。7月21日，來自中國的Newbee戰(zhàn)隊在五局三勝制的總決賽中，以三比一擊敗了Vici戰(zhàn)隊，將超過1000萬美元總獎金池中的500多萬美元捧回了家。這場比賽的現(xiàn)場觀眾多達(dá)1萬人。亞軍Vici戰(zhàn)隊也分得將近150萬美元獎金，第三名的“邪惡天才”戰(zhàn)隊和第四名DK戰(zhàn)隊分獲100多萬美元和81.9萬美元。

????全球大多數(shù)電競愛好者都是通過電腦或其他設(shè)備觀看的網(wǎng)絡(luò)轉(zhuǎn)播，但是ESPN3電視臺卻全程報道了總決賽，跟報道全美橄欖球聯(lián)盟（NFL）或大學(xué)橄欖球聯(lián)賽時沒什么兩樣。實際上，電競的崛起在很大程度上要感謝像Twitch這樣的視頻直播公司——據(jù)說今年五月谷歌（Google）曾計劃斥資10億美元收購這家公司。但像ESPN這樣的有線電視網(wǎng)絡(luò)，卻使職業(yè)電競比賽走上了主流舞臺。廣告商和贊助商們也更習(xí)慣于在傳統(tǒng)體育項目的電視直播上打廣告。

????電競比賽發(fā)展的顯著趨勢之一，就是將比賽搬到傳統(tǒng)的體育場館。去年秋天，Riot Games公司將全美《英雄聯(lián)盟》冠軍賽總決賽搬到了洛杉磯湖人隊和國王隊的主場——斯臺普斯中心，并且門票被搶購一空。當(dāng)晚共有1.2萬余人在現(xiàn)場觀戰(zhàn)，通過視頻直播在網(wǎng)上觀看比賽的人更是超過了3200萬。今年，歐洲體育聯(lián)盟（ESL）在曾經(jīng)舉辦過世界杯的德國法蘭克福商業(yè)銀行體育場里舉辦了一場《Dota 2》邀請賽。今年10月，Riot Games公司將在曾承辦過韓日世界杯的韓國上巖體育場里舉辦一場2014年世界錦標(biāo)賽，這個球場最多能容納66,000名觀眾。

????Riot Games公司的電競副總裁達(dá)斯汀?貝克指出：“我們在體育場里舉辦的比賽門票全部售光，充分說明了玩家們對電子競技的熱情。另外全球游戲愛好者也可以通過視頻直播，觀看最頂尖的《英雄聯(lián)盟》戰(zhàn)隊在本次世界錦標(biāo)賽中一決雌雄。這跟全世界球迷在世界杯上支持自己喜歡的球隊沒有什么區(qū)別。玩家的熱情和參與度，為那些想要接觸這部分觀眾的商業(yè)品牌帶來了機(jī)會。”

????Relativity公司劇場營銷總裁拉賽爾?施瓦茨表示，電子競技已經(jīng)發(fā)展成一類新的電視節(jié)目，只不過是在網(wǎng)絡(luò)上播出。

????施瓦茨認(rèn)為：“現(xiàn)在電視上的體育競賽差不多是人們唯一還在觀看的直播節(jié)目了。除此之外，電子競技是各大品牌接觸年輕人最好的途徑。首先它具有直播的體驗，而且人們可以在網(wǎng)絡(luò)上進(jìn)行互動。雖然電競還不是一項規(guī)模特別巨大的業(yè)務(wù)，但它正朝著這個方向發(fā)展。現(xiàn)在電視節(jié)目的觀眾群變得很難追蹤，但是我們知道電競的觀眾主要是14到35歲的男性?！?/p>

????2013年，美國競技游戲大聯(lián)盟（MLG）與Relativity影業(yè)公司達(dá)成了一項涵蓋競技管理、電視、電影與數(shù)碼媒體等方面的內(nèi)容與營銷戰(zhàn)略合作。合作的目標(biāo)是加速美國競技游戲大聯(lián)盟作為一項主流媒體資產(chǎn)的增長，增加其官網(wǎng)MLG.tv的觀看人數(shù)，強(qiáng)化Relativity公司在游戲領(lǐng)域的分量。

????Anyone who still has doubts about the validity of eSports, or electronic sports, needs only to look at videos out of the sold-out KeyArena in Seattle from Valve’s Dota 2: The International tournament. Over 10,000 people watched team Newbee defeat Vici Gaming three games to one in a best-of-five format to take home just over $5 million of the over $10 million in cash handed out on July 21. Vici Gaming went home with nearly $1.5 million and the third and fourth place teams, Evil Geniuses and DK, also went home winners with over $1 million and over $819,000, respectively.

????While the majority of the millions of global fans watched the action via livestreams on their PCs and connected devices, ESPN3 covered the action just like it would an NFL or college football game. In fact, eSports has thrived thanks to livestreaming companies like Twitch, which back in May Google was rumored to be acquiring for $1 billion. But TV networks like ESPN certainly help put professional video gaming into the mainstream spotlight. And advertisers and sponsors are more accustomed to televised exposure for traditional sports.

????One trend that’s clear with eSports is the crossover into holding major events in traditional sports venues. Last fall, Riot Games sold out the Staples Center for its League of Legends Championship Series Finals. While 12,000 people watched live in the home of the Lakers and Kings, over 32 million tuned in to the livestream. This year, European Sports League (ESL) hosted a Dota 2 tournament at former World Cup soccer stadium Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt, Germany. And Riot will host its 2014 World Championship in October at former South Korean Olympic venue Sangam Stadium, which seats 66,000 people.

????“Selling out stadiums shows how passionate players are about eSports,” said Dustin Beck, VP of eSports at Riot Games. “Fans from all over the globe will be tuning in to watch the best of the best LOLeSports team battle it out for the World Championship the same way soccer fans from across the globe came out to support their favorite teams during the World Cup. That level of passion and engagement translates to an opportunity for brands who are looking to communicate with this audience by bringing added value to their eSports experience.”

????Russell Schwartz, president of theatrical marketing at Relativity said eSports is the new appointment TV, only it’s online.

????“Outside of sports on TV, which is the only thing people watch live any more, eSports is the best way to reach Millennials,” said Schwartz. “It’s a live experience that people can interact with online. It’s not that it’s a huge business yet, but it’s getting there. Television is so elusive these days, but with eSports we know it’s where male gamers 14 to 35 are watching.”

????Major League Gaming and Relativity formed a strategic content and marketing partnership across sports management, television, film and digital media in 2013. The goal of the collaboration was to accelerate MLG’s growth as a mainstream media property, drive appointment viewing to MLG.tv and further strengthen Relativity’s presence in the gaming space.