SVG Summit 2017: Esports Has Arrived, But How Will It Impact Live Sports Production?

Unique uses of technology for storytelling and monetization could see esports production revolutionize the industry at large

Esports has taken the industry by storm, but what are the challenges in producing esports for the big screen? Will younger viewers who are used to watching esports on digital devices make the transition to the living room? Does it matter if they do? And can esports become an important piece of the sports fan’s daily diet of news and action?

In this session moderated by Viacom Global Entertainment Group’s Jeff Jacobs, a panel of experts featuring MLG’s Head of Global Partnerships Josh Cella, Big Ten Network’s VP, Marketing Erin Harvego, Turner Sports’ VP, Content and Creative Matt Mosteller, Riot Games’ Technical Lead for Esports Ray Panahon, Riot Games’ Senior Manager of Broadcast Operations for Esports Mitch Rosenthal offer their takes on what makes esports production unique and how its approach to content creation could make an impact on the rest of the sports media world.

Watch the session in its entirety:

Here are some highlights from the talk:

Big Ten Network began broadcasting esports events from Big Ten campuses earlier this year. Harvego says she doesn’t care about the debate over whether esports is, in fact, a “sport” or not:

Mosteller knows that esports is a digital-first world but that content creators need to worry less about what screen esports is being viewed on because engagement comes in all shapes and sizes:

Esports has also proven innovative in the world of sponsorship and monetization of the sport. Cella shares his thoughts on how esports approaches commercials and how those philosophies could have an impact on the greater sports world:

For more coverage of the SVG Summit, including stories, panel highlights, and video interviews from the show floor, CLICK HERE.