ESports is "still an underground culture to many," but it is having a "growing impact on real-world sporting events," M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment Head of Digital Haran Ramachandran wrote for MARKETING MAGAZINE. Brands "will have to offer serious value if they want to to participate." ESports "is now at the tipping point of mainstream awareness." Key to this has been broadcasters "taking the sport seriously." In the U.K., Sky Sports, as is often the case, has been "the first to innovate" -- broadcasting its first two eSports events, "including live coverage of the FIFA Interactive World Cup three weeks ago." Some were happy that Sky was "shining a light on their community while others were opposed, wary of mainstream media changing their sport." So how should broadcasters and brands "get involved?" Credibility and authenticity, "mainstays of marketing buzzword bingo are a given, but what it really comes down to is making the experience better for fans and players." This is "the only way to attract a community which lives online, whose second screen is their only screen, by offering something compelling." A "potentially exciting way in for brands and broadcasters alike could be through recent news from EA Sports." In December, the developer of the FIFA series announced its "own competitive gaming division headed by CCO Peter Moore." This is a big deal "as it means titles like FIFA, Madden NFL, PGA Tour and UFC will open up and new competitions will be created." These titles replicate traditional sports, so they "are far less daunting for brands or broadcasters" than popular eSports titles like League of Legends or Counterstrike. How this unfolds in '16 will "help shape the mainstream adoption" of eSports, especially in Europe (MARKETING MAGAZINE, 4/12).
