The world's biggest sports network can't ignore eSports anymore - here's why

Melia Robinson

The rise of eSports, where people play competitive video games as a spectator sport, is unstoppable.

You better believe the world's biggest sports network is taking notice.

John Lasker, vice president of programming and acquisitions at ESPN, recently spoke with Tech Insider on the budding eSports industry and how it fits into the network. Interest in eSports will only continue to build, Lasker says, and the industry could bring a level of success reminiscent of what the company has achieved with televised poker.

"There is no boundary or borders with eSports," Lasker says.

Melia Robinson

Isaiah "Snickers" Rubin warms up for a practice game before the "Heroes of the Dorm" finals commence.

Some 250 million people watched or played eSports in 2015 (up 13% year over year), according to market research firm Newzoo. As ESPN pointed out in last year's gaming issue, if the eSports nation was an actual nation, it would be the fifth largest on the planet.

ESports has grown to include spectator events that sell out stadiums, from Madison Square Garden to the Staples Center. The industry could hit $463 million in revenue in 2016, and is expected to reach $1.1 billion by 2019.

Lasker says part of the allure of eSports, from a network perspective, is that the phenomenon grew organically. In more traditional sports, an organization constructed a professional league and attempted to grow a fan base around it.

In eSports, leagues are born out of audience demand for the content.

Melia Robinson

Members of Arizona State University's eSports team celebrate their victory on stage at "Heroes of the Dorm."

ESPN has responded - in incremental steps.

In 2015, the network began sprinkling eSports coverage into its regular schedule. ESPN2 broadcast its first college eSports competition, "Heroes of the Dorm" - a partnership with acclaimed game studio Blizzard Entertainment which allowed ESPN to use Blizzard's game, "Heroes of the Storm." The company also launched a dedicated eSports vertical on its website.

In 2016, the network doubled down on its investment in televised eSports, adding three more hours of programming around the "Heroes of the Dorm" tournament. The so-called "March Madness of eSports" drew well over 100,000 viewers, up 17% from last year.

Melia Robinson

Fans go berserk at "Heroes of the Dorm."

As eSports matures, Lasker hopes the network is "heavily involved" in its programming. We may someday see regular news updates, in-game highlights, and player profiles on its existing shows - or find a dedicated program (the "'SportsCenter' of eSports") in its lineup.

Inevitably, some trolls on the internet will lash out at the network for airing eSports content. Lasker remains optimistic.

"At some point, people didn't really question why poker was on ESPN," he says. "I'm hopeful that we get to the point where people aren't questioning why we're covering an eSports event."