34 ESPORTS BANG Electronic Arts
Words by Neal Romanek The popularity of esports is turning video game companies, like Electronic Arts, into broadcasters. Once a world miles away from traditional TV, game companies are treating linear broadcasters as partners E SPORTS VS. BROADCAST
he tension between traditional linear broadcast and online distribution is something the esports world is having to
broadcasting is a pretty new thing. We’ve only been doing it for a couple of years, and the competitive gaming division has only been around for three years. We’ve made some strides in that time and created some great content, but really the trick is the partners and who you’re working with.” This was explored in-depth at a panel at this year’s NAB Show, moderated by VentureBeat, where Lynch joined Matt Edelman of Super League Gaming, Frank Ng of Allied Esports Entertainment and David Clevinger of IBM Watson. “We talked a lot about the state of esports production and that convergence of traditional media and esports,” says Lynch. “A lot of the conversation centred around where we are going and the very
different way we produce esports. From an esports perspective, we’re on air eight to ten hours a day, three, four and five days in a row. That’s very different from a traditional sport. That sort of thing is quickly overlooked. It’s a different way of producing.” EA has begun to work with linear broadcast partners ESPN and The CW, for its Fifa esports content. It is also working with Fox and Fox’s online gaming platform, Caffeine. As well as many other broadcasters internationally. “It’s about working with those partners and everyone being on the same page and knowing that we’re going to have to try some things. We may not do things the way it’s always been done. From our
negotiate carefully now. It follows the sector turning into a major international phenomenon, with multiple parties looking for ways to cash in on it. However, esports producers and broadcasters are finding that it pays to cooperate. Joe Lynch is the head of Broadcast at games giant, Electronic Arts, and this transition from the gaming world to the world of big broadcast is always at the front of his mind. “The way people consume
entertainment now is a little bit of everything," he says. "For us at EA,
ALL TOGETHER NOW EA worked with ESPN to get the word out about its Madden Bowl tournament, tying it all together
feedzinesocial feedzinesocial feedmagazine.tv
Powered by FlippingBook