Can "Overwatch" Overcome the Prime Time Esports Curse?

The finals of the Overwatch League will be broadcast in prime time on ESPN and Disney XD on July 27 -28, with a flagship show appearing on ABC on July 29. (The multi-year Blizzard agreement with Twitch for online streaming is will continue, although coverage will appear on the ESPN and Disney apps.) This is an indication of the increase in household status, but it's also the last opportunity for gaming companies to demonstrate that it belongs to this area. [19659006] Esports, Business Analysts The Next Level put together a great infographic a year ago, showing that esports could attract online audi ences, which does not always translate into mainstream television.

There are good reasons for that, of course. The Overwatch League easily beat the NFL football game online earlier this year, because that is where its core audience resides. But on television, the NFL regularly submits offers of esports. Spectator viewers tend to be younger, heavily focused on the demo from 18 to 49.

Yet with esports on track to become a $ 905 million business this year and its audience gradually Aging, the idea that video game competitions will become prime time routines seems inevitable. The Overwatch League agreement with the Mouse House Networks is the last step in this progression

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Blizzard Entertainment and Disney announce today that Overwatch League The competition will be broadcast on the ABC, ESPN and Disney XD networks as part of a multi-year agreement that will begin today. [19659006ThefinalsoftheOverwatchLeaguewillairinprimetimeonESPNandDisneyXDonJuly27and28ABCJuly29(Blizzard'smulti-yearagreementwithTwitchforonlinestreamingwillcontinuealthoughthecoveragewillappearontheESPNandDisneyapps)Thisisanindicationofthegrowinghouseholdnamestatusbutit'salsothelastopportunityforbusinessesto

Business Analysts Esports, The Next Level, have prepared a beautiful infographic a year ago, demonstrating that if the esports could attract This does not always translate to traditional television.

Of course, there are good reasons for this. The Overwatch League easily beat the NFL football game online earlier this year, because that is where its core audience resides. But on television, the NFL regularly submits offers of esports. Spectator viewers tend to be younger, heavily focused on the demo from 18 to 49.

Yet with esports on track to become a $ 905 million business this year and its audience gradually Aging, the idea that video game competitions will become prime time routines seems inevitable. The Overwatch League deal with the Mouse House Networks is the last step in this progression.