League of Legends and why eSports skeptics should give it a chance.
1/6/2015

The League of Legends professional season 6 starts up once again on 1/14 for Europe (EU) and 1/16 for North America (NA). This seems a good a time as any to try and convince the skeptics that your time is worth investing in watching these highly entertaining matches.

I, along with many of you, always scoffed at the idea people would spend their time watching kids play video games. In fact, I probably felt much like Colin Cowherd, albeit without the narcissism and vitriol. Colin Cowherd has recently made numerous attacks on those that participate in eSports and its audience. Many of his arguments are uninformed and idiotic, AKA classic Cowherd. Yet, I found that many of his generalizations about the genre I too experienced before I finally gave watching eSports a chance. He described the players as “booger eaters” and even did his own fake play-by-play which involved a player, 29, who leaves a match to go back to his mother’s house and eat Hot Pockets. Very creative, Colin. Sounds like the snappy repartee one might find buried deep in the depths of a Reddit conversation. Despite being booted from E!SPN, Colin is staying true to their core values of shoddy journalism and the belief any sort of relevant research is passé. There are mountains of evidence to suggest his claims are worth as much as those Beanie Babies you stockpiled in the late 90s.

It pains me to say this now, but I held similar misgivings not so long ago. Sure, I grew up playing an unhealthy amount of video games, but that didn’t stop me from holding these same prejudices about professional gamers. To me it was always all about real sports. Baseball, football, soccer, basket, golf, tennis; basically anything but hockey, I watched deep into the night. I couldn’t imagine giving the devotion I gave these freakishly athletic and world-class athletes to some group of kids who look like they should be preparing for the National Spelling Bee. While there are indeed eSports players who fit this mold, there is a whole other side to how these players look and act. The personalities, feuds between players and managers, in-fighting, and trash talking are so much more enjoyable than mainstream sports. The media has not quite caught onto the eSports phenomena and, as such, the players are much more approachable via social media. There is closeness between fan and player that is vastly different than the maximum security set up around NFL players to ensure they don’t say anything too stupid.

All of this is to say that Cowherd’s malformed ramblings couldn’t be farther from the truth. League of Legends draws in massive crowds both domestically and abroad. Live matches of screaming and chanting fans have sold out Madison Square Garden, the Staples Center and the South Korean Olympic Stadium just to name a few. According to journalist Patrick Dorsey, in 2014 the League of Legends finals had more viewers than Game 7 of the World Series and any game of the NBA Playoffs. These numbers are indeed impressive in legitimizing eSports as a viable worldwide source of entertainment.

A sold out Madison Square Garden for the 2015 NA Finals

While numbers are a nice supplement, what really won me over is the sheer level of quality and excitement that is exuded each and every game. The game was described by one of the top League players as “chess on crack,” which is actually a somewhat apt description. While the only shakes after a match are handshakes, the frantic style and movements make the game fast-paced entertainment.

The games are 5v5 and teams need to utilize some Kasparov level strategy infused with a Steph Curry level of precision. The games last anywhere from about 30-50 minutes and there are multiple games being played throughout the day. What makes this schedule great is that the European matches are broadcast early enough in America so that they can help get you through the workday. They stream on both Twitch and YouTube, but the latter is preferred, as you can quickly pause when you have to pretend like you are busy at work. For me and my friends, the League season has helped us survive a long Thursday or Friday for the last few years.

Another reason to be excited for this season is the complete changing of the international landscape. Much like quality ramen noodle, this game is absolutely dominated by the Far East. While they have shops that produce the most delicious ramen from seasoned chefs, we here in North American and in Europe are stuck putting a cup in a microwave. This is essentially the gap of skill between the East and the West. However, the landscape is changing thanks to huge contributions from some major companies. As the Coke, Intel, and Nissan money keeps pouring in, the highly skilled Korean and Chinese players are making long flights to America, Europe and even Brazil. The teams are looking to be as balanced as ever and this is cause for great excitement. This season will most definitely be the highest level of competition that the game has ever seen.

As someone who was, and is, a sport fanatic and former eSports skeptic, I implore anyone who thinks similarly to give it a try.

You will obviously be best served just playing the game for a few weeks to learn the ropes. As luck would have it, the game is entirely free to download via the League of Legends website. Yet, if you are more interested in only watching the competition, there are some great videos that break down the basics of the game, such as this one by PBS Digital Studios. You only need a basic knowledge of MOBAs or the game itself to understand how good these kids are.

If you want to just jump right in and watch one of the most exciting games of all time, check out this game from the 2014 World’s group match between Europe’s Fnatic and China’s OMG by clicking here.

Any questions about the scene or you feel the need to call me a Hot Pocket loving booger eater, feel free to comment below.