The ESPN moment: esports needs dedicated streaming platforms

Esports is having its ESPN-moment, which means abundant opportunities are within reach to drive the collective experience forward. Who wants the ball?

In 1979, the sports broadcasting upstart Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, now commonly known as ESPN, aired its first edition of its nightly news and highlights show, SportsCenter: “From this very desk,” host George Grande proclaimed, “we’ll be filling you in on the pulse of sporting activity not only around the county, but around the world as well.” It was the first proclamation of a major shift in the coverage of sports. Rather than being content with coverage of their local teams and analysis from familiar beat writers, fans would be able to access alternate opinions and live updates on games outside of their zip code. Unlike their print brethren, for the first time, fans could follow a sport on TV as well as a team.