2019 Esports Production Summit

Full Program

8:45 – 9:30 a.m.: Registration and Breakfast in Technology Showcase Area

9:30 – 9:35 a.m.: Welcoming Remarks

9:35 – 10:00 a.m.: Opening Presentation: The State of the Esports Viewership and Consumption
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This opening presentation will provide an overview of the current trends in esports development and streaming. Esports Charts analyzes a massive amount of data derived directly from all known streaming platforms (without any outside influence) in order to determine the exact amount of viewers, breakdown by their languages, and growth dynamics of subscribers on channels and social networks. Whether you’re a producer, organizer, sponsor, or just a viewer, check out this opening session for an in-depth look at the current state esports content consumption.
Presenter: Ivan Danishevskyi, Esports Charts, Founder

10:00 – 10:55 a.m.: Esports Behind the Scenes: Inside the Live-Production Workflows
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Go behind the scenes of some of the highest-profile live esports productions of the past year with producers and broadcast leaders from major esports organizations. Learn what it takes to produce a high-quality viewing experience for fans, both in the arena and streaming at home. Industry leaders detail their production philosophies and their different strategies for FPS (first-person shooter), MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena), battle royale, and other popular game formats.
Moderator: Jason Dachman, SVG, Chief Editor & Esports Production Forum Program Director
Panelists:
Matt Donovan
, Riot Games, Broadcast and Technology Manager
Simon Eicher, ESL Gaming, Executive Producer, Director of Broadcast, Esports Services
Andrew Lane, FACEIT, Director of Broadcast
Mitch Rosenthal, Twitch, Director, Esports Production Operations
Scott Smith, Do Not Peek Entertainment, Co-Founder/Managing Director
Andrew Wagnitz, Next Generation Esports, Director, Broadcast and Technology

10:55 – 11:15 a.m.: Morning Keynote: Inside BlizzCon and the Blizzard Entertainment Esports Content Factory
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Over the past half-decade, Blizzard Entertainment has developed one of the most extensive esports content portfolios in the industry – totaling more than 25,000 hours – and launched the groundbreaking Overwatch League, as well as the upcoming Call of Duty League. Blizzard broadcasts its live esports events in up to 15 languages, has an extensive branded content portfolio to supports its league sponsor deals, and a feature-rich internal paywall product. BlizzCon serves as the crown jewel of Blizzard’s live-events with more than 211 unique broadcast streams to 17 outlets in 18 languages. Get an inside look at the recent BlizzCon production, as well as how Blizzard produces and manages its massive content and broadcast portfolio.
Featuring:
Pete Emminger
, Activision Blizzard Esports, VP, Global Broadcast
Saralyn Smith
, Blizzard Entertainment, BlizzCon Executive Producer

11:15 – 11:20 a.m.: Technology Showcase Spotlight

11:20 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Networking Break in Technology Showcase Area

12:00 –12:45 p.m.: Esports Production Unwrapped: The Technology Behind the Show
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In recent years, no live-production sector has pushed the boundaries of technology more than esports has. In an effort to create a unique fan experience, live-esports producers have embraced a wealth of next-gen technologies and workflows, including AR and virtual graphics, UHD cameras/lenses and in-venue LED displays, cloud- and object-based storage, unique data and stats integrations, and the at-home–production model. Hear from tech leaders on how these groundbreaking tools are changing esports production.
Moderator: Ken Kerschbaumer, SVG, Co-Executive Director, Editorial Services
Panelists:
Vince Auletta
, Swiftstack, Director of Media Solutions
David Hoffman
, Blackmagic Design Americas, Business Development Manager
Cameron Reed, Ross Video, Business Development Manager, Esports
Larry Thorpe, Canon U.S.A., Senior Fellow, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Professional Engineering and Solutions Division
Jared Timmins, Grass Valley, VP, Advanced Technology

12:45 – 1:00 p.m.: Spotlight Session: ESL and the Future of Esports Production
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2019 felt like a pivotal year for esports, when the hype lived up to the promise – so what’s next? Simon Eicher of leading esports tournament organizer and production company ESL and esports veteran Charles Conroy discuss the latest developments in esports production and transmission, as well as what to expect in the year ahead for this rapidly growing industry. 
Moderator: Charles Conroy
, The Switch, VP, Gaming
Speaker: Simon Eicher
, ESL Gaming, Executive Producer, Director of Broadcast, Esports Services

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.: Networking Lunch

2:00 – 4:15 p.m.: College Esports Workshop

2:00 – 2:45 p.m.: The Esports Venue Explosion: Creating Gaming Meccas for Local Communities
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Esports-focused venues are popping up across North America, and, with the Overwatch League and Call of Duty League set to start home and away games next year, the esports industry appears on the verge of a massive building boom. Esports venues must be extremely flexible since competitions run the gamut in terms of size and style. In addition, esports attendees expect a fully immersive experience beyond just on-stage competition. Esports-venue experts address best practices in designing and operating a venue, as well as what they expect in this rapidly growing sector.
Moderator: Kristian Hernandez, SVG, Associate Editor
Panelists:
Kristin Connelly
, Overwatch League, Senior Director, Marketing
Corey Dunn
, Esports Stadium Arlington, VP of Broadcast & Esports Locker, President
Jud Hannigan, Allied Esports International, Co-Founder and CEO
Bob Jordan CVE, 1337 Facilities, CEO; Venue Road, Founder
Brian Mirakian, Populous, Senior Principal and Director of Brand Activation

2:45 – 3:15 p.m.: Networking Break in Technology Showcase Area

3:15 – 3:45 p.m.: Esports Team Perspectives: Why Franchises Are Building Their Own Production Facilities
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While publishers and leagues are dominating the live-esports event space, teams are also building out their own state-of-the-art production facilities in an effort to grow their brand and better engage with their fans. Learn how these teams are creating content factories of their own to serve their growing demand for live-streaming to VOD.
Moderator: Charles Conroy, The Switch, VP, Gaming
Panelists:
Heather Garozzo, Dignitas, VP, Marketing
Oluwafemi Okusanya, FaZe Clan, VP of Content/Production

3:45 – 4:25 p.m.: Pro League Perspectives: The Marriage of Esports and Traditional Sports
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Professional sports leagues from around the globe are embracing the esports revolution by launching their own leagues and teams, as well as partnering with key publishers to develop new initiatives. Learn about their production strategies and how they differ from other esports formats, as well as how they are engaging the gaming community with their traditional sports brands.
Moderator: Jason Dachman, SVG, Chief Editor and Esports Production Forum Program Director
Panelists:
Matt Arden, NBA, Head of Content and Media, NBA 2K League
Joe Lynch, EA, Head of Broadcast
Adam Poel, Defacto Entertainment, Partner and Director of Production; NBA 2K League, Supervising Broadcast Producer
Jeff Politsch, NASCAR Productions, Head of Broadcast, eNASCAR

4:25– 4:45 p.m.: Closing Keynote Conversation: Mike Sepso, Esports Pioneer and Co-Founder/CEO of Vindex
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As co-founder of Major League Gaming (MLG) in 2002, Mike Sepso created one of the first powerhouses of competitive gaming and went on to play a vital role in in the development of the booming esports industry we see today. Now, Sepso is out to change the game once again, co-founding Vindex, a pure-play esports infrastructure platform with $60M of funding and starstudded leadership team behind it. In this closing Q&A session, Sepso will discuss how the esports business has evolved and what he sees for this rapidly growing market in 2020 and beyond.
Featuring: Mike Sepso, Esports Pioneer and Co-Founder/CEO of Vindex
Moderated by: Jason Dachman, SVG, Chief Editor and Sports Graphics Forum Program Director

4:45 – 5:30 p.m.: Networking Reception in Technology Showcase Area

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