可口可乐、英特尔和日产等大品牌扎堆涌向电子竞技

    如果有人还在质疑电子竞技的魔力，只需要看看今年在美国西雅图KeyArena体育馆举办的《Dota 2》国际邀请赛的现场视频就知道了。7月21日，来自中国的Newbee战队在五局三胜制的总决赛中，以三比一击败了Vici战队，将超过1000万美元总奖金池中的500多万美元捧回了家。这场比赛的现场观众多达1万人。亚军Vici战队也分得将近150万美元奖金，第三名的“邪恶天才”战队和第四名DK战队分获100多万美元和81.9万美元。

    全球大多数电竞爱好者都是通过电脑或其他设备观看的网络转播，但是ESPN3电视台却全程报道了总决赛，跟报道全美橄榄球联盟（NFL）或大学橄榄球联赛时没什么两样。实际上，电竞的崛起在很大程度上要感谢像Twitch这样的视频直播公司——据说今年五月谷歌（Google）曾计划斥资10亿美元收购这家公司。但像ESPN这样的有线电视网络，却使职业电竞比赛走上了主流舞台。广告商和赞助商们也更习惯于在传统体育项目的电视直播上打广告。

    电竞比赛发展的显著趋势之一，就是将比赛搬到传统的体育场馆。去年秋天，Riot Games公司将全美《英雄联盟》冠军赛总决赛搬到了洛杉矶湖人队和国王队的主场——斯台普斯中心，并且门票被抢购一空。当晚共有1.2万余人在现场观战，通过视频直播在网上观看比赛的人更是超过了3200万。今年，欧洲体育联盟（ESL）在曾经举办过世界杯的德国法兰克福商业银行体育场里举办了一场《Dota 2》邀请赛。今年10月，Riot Games公司将在曾承办过韩日世界杯的韩国上岩体育场里举办一场2014年世界锦标赛，这个球场最多能容纳66,000名观众。

    Riot Games公司的电竞副总裁达斯汀•贝克指出：“我们在体育场里举办的比赛门票全部售光，充分说明了玩家们对电子竞技的热情。另外全球游戏爱好者也可以通过视频直播，观看最顶尖的《英雄联盟》战队在本次世界锦标赛中一决雌雄。这跟全世界球迷在世界杯上支持自己喜欢的球队没有什么区别。玩家的热情和参与度，为那些想要接触这部分观众的商业品牌带来了机会。”

    Relativity公司剧场营销总裁拉赛尔•施瓦茨表示，电子竞技已经发展成一类新的电视节目，只不过是在网络上播出。

    施瓦茨认为：“现在电视上的体育竞赛差不多是人们唯一还在观看的直播节目了。除此之外，电子竞技是各大品牌接触年轻人最好的途径。首先它具有直播的体验，而且人们可以在网络上进行互动。虽然电竞还不是一项规模特别巨大的业务，但它正朝着这个方向发展。现在电视节目的观众群变得很难追踪，但是我们知道电竞的观众主要是14到35岁的男性。”

    2013年，美国竞技游戏大联盟（MLG）与Relativity影业公司达成了一项涵盖竞技管理、电视、电影与数码媒体等方面的内容与营销战略合作。合作的目标是加速美国竞技游戏大联盟作为一项主流媒体资产的增长，增加其官网MLG.tv的观看人数，强化Relativity公司在游戏领域的分量。

    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.