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I'm 29 years old and growing up in the 80s and 90s I would have never even 'thought' about video gaming as an sport, let alone, who knew what an esport was. I think that's the mentality of adults really. I got into Starcraft in 1999 with my cousin and we stayed up hours playing it late into the night. But it was pretty much just a video game to us. It would never dreamed that it would make us money in anyway shape or form, just provide entertainment.
I started college in 2000 and that's when video gaming pretty much stopped for me. I think that's when Halo started to come around and I just never got into it. I've never owned an xbox so I never knew there was an 'underground' halo pro esports scene.
It wasn't until WoW and MLG got together and started the arenas was when I actually saw someone making money off of being an 'esports pro'. I still never really thought much about it and even joked about a 'pro gamer'.
Once Starcraft II started beta was when I really got into it. That's when I found Team Liquid and realized that there had been an underground movement for almost 10 years now. I found Day[9], Idra, Jinro, GSL, and all the competitive movements going on. I started watching Beta youtube games, streams, GSL games.
It wasn't until I immersed myself into the EsportsStarCraft II culture that I finally embraced that it was actually something that could be done.
I think that's going to have to happen with other adults as well before they realize that it is already here and not the 'future'. MLG keeps getting bigger and bigger. I would have LOVED to go to Columbus, but alas, family and work responsibilities would not make it so.
The only way to bring someone 'to' esports is to immerse them with the great content that is already out there. Show them the first two Idra/MC games. Show them the crowd, Day[9] and djWheat going at it. Tastosis commenting GSL. There are great things out there but once upon a time gamers aren't really looking for it. They simply just don't know about it.
 
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On June 07 2011 00:54 SleepTech wrote:
Once Starcraft II started beta was when I really got into it. That's when I found Team Liquid and realized that there had been an underground movement for almost 10 years now. I found Day[9], Idra, Jinro, GSL, and all the competitive movements going on. I started watching Beta youtube games, streams, GSL games.
Did you know there was a bright time before SC2?
At least in Korea, Starcraft Broodwar was NOT underground at all. I'd say it started to become 100% legitimate as a thriving esport starting in the early 2000's.
Your ignorance, despite your age, annoys me.
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That is true and a shame.
The MLG wont get a 10 second recap on the evening news and i think it should.
You have to dig on the internet / know what your looking for to follow esports.
As someone who spends hours a day following it its hard for me to swallow when my friends who like video games know nothing about it.
Maybe in my lifetime ill see that news recap about starcraft while my dads tuning in at 6 oclock.
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On June 07 2011 00:58 Ravencruiser wrote:Show nested quote +On June 07 2011 00:54 SleepTech wrote:
Once Starcraft II started beta was when I really got into it. That's when I found Team Liquid and realized that there had been an underground movement for almost 10 years now. I found Day[9], Idra, Jinro, GSL, and all the competitive movements going on. I started watching Beta youtube games, streams, GSL games.
Did you know there was a bright time before SC2? At least in Korea, Starcraft Broodwar was NOT underground at all. I'd say it started to become 100% legitimate as a thriving esport starting in the early 2000's. Your ignorance, despite your age, annoys me.
his focus was never on korea. read and comprehend what he wrote.
your unjustified hostility to me is far more annoying.
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On June 07 2011 00:58 Ravencruiser wrote:Show nested quote +On June 07 2011 00:54 SleepTech wrote:
Once Starcraft II started beta was when I really got into it. That's when I found Team Liquid and realized that there had been an underground movement for almost 10 years now. I found Day[9], Idra, Jinro, GSL, and all the competitive movements going on. I started watching Beta youtube games, streams, GSL games.
Did you know there was a bright time before SC2? At least in Korea, Starcraft Broodwar was NOT underground at all. I'd say it started to become 100% legitimate as a thriving esport starting in the early 2000's. Your ignorance, despite your age, annoys me.
"At least in Korea", from a global perspective, makes it absolutely "underground". Even with TL, battlereports, SC2GG, etc. etc. the number of people who knew about, let alone followed, BW, globally speaking, was absolutely tiny.
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On June 07 2011 00:58 Ravencruiser wrote:Show nested quote +On June 07 2011 00:54 SleepTech wrote:
Once Starcraft II started beta was when I really got into it. That's when I found Team Liquid and realized that there had been an underground movement for almost 10 years now. I found Day[9], Idra, Jinro, GSL, and all the competitive movements going on. I started watching Beta youtube games, streams, GSL games.
Did you know there was a bright time before SC2? At least in Korea, Starcraft Broodwar was NOT underground at all. I'd say it started to become 100% legitimate as a thriving esport starting in the early 2000's. Your ignorance, despite your age, annoys me.
Well, I'm glad we've established again that SC was big in Korea, which he was implying by the "10 years" reference. He even implied that he realized it got big in the early 2000's in that statement, which you would realize if you subtracted 10 from 2011. Thanks for repeating what he said exactly and making yourself out to be an elitist twat, though.
Your post, despite your proper punctuation, annoys me.
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On June 07 2011 01:00 ComaDose wrote:
That is true and a shame.
The MLG wont get a 10 second recap on the evening news and i think it should.
You have to dig on the internet / know what your looking for to follow esports.
As someone who spends hours a day following it its hard for me to swallow when my friends who like video games know nothing about it.
Maybe in my lifetime ill see that news recap about starcraft while my dads tuning in at 6 oclock.
Maybe it's more than just mainstream ignorance about the growing esports culture. I mean, who the hell even watches the evening news anymore? People just hit the Internet, and that's the domain of esports.
Point is, mainstream recognition by TV, usual channels and publications - this stuff is going on the wayside. The time will come when SC2 and esports won't be vying for s spot on TV...
...TV will be vying for a spot on the Internet with esports!
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On June 07 2011 01:07 eight.BiT wrote:Show nested quote +On June 07 2011 00:58 Ravencruiser wrote:On June 07 2011 00:54 SleepTech wrote:
Once Starcraft II started beta was when I really got into it. That's when I found Team Liquid and realized that there had been an underground movement for almost 10 years now. I found Day[9], Idra, Jinro, GSL, and all the competitive movements going on. I started watching Beta youtube games, streams, GSL games.
Did you know there was a bright time before SC2? At least in Korea, Starcraft Broodwar was NOT underground at all. I'd say it started to become 100% legitimate as a thriving esport starting in the early 2000's. Your ignorance, despite your age, annoys me. Well, I'm glad we've established again that SC was big in Korea, which he was implying by the "10 years" reference. He even implied that he realized it got big in the early 2000's in that statement, which you would realize if you subtracted 10 from 2011. Thanks for repeating what he said exactly and making yourself out to be an elitist twat, though. Your post, despite your proper punctuation, annoys me.
He also called it an underground movement. Which it wasn't. Yeah, it was a little detail that he shouldn't have jumped on, but I think the guy may not realize exactly how big BW was.
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On June 07 2011 01:15 DamageControL wrote:Show nested quote +On June 07 2011 01:07 eight.BiT wrote:On June 07 2011 00:58 Ravencruiser wrote:On June 07 2011 00:54 SleepTech wrote:
Once Starcraft II started beta was when I really got into it. That's when I found Team Liquid and realized that there had been an underground movement for almost 10 years now. I found Day[9], Idra, Jinro, GSL, and all the competitive movements going on. I started watching Beta youtube games, streams, GSL games.
Did you know there was a bright time before SC2? At least in Korea, Starcraft Broodwar was NOT underground at all. I'd say it started to become 100% legitimate as a thriving esport starting in the early 2000's. Your ignorance, despite your age, annoys me. Well, I'm glad we've established again that SC was big in Korea, which he was implying by the "10 years" reference. He even implied that he realized it got big in the early 2000's in that statement, which you would realize if you subtracted 10 from 2011. Thanks for repeating what he said exactly and making yourself out to be an elitist twat, though. Your post, despite your proper punctuation, annoys me. He also called it an underground movement. Which it wasn't. Yeah, it was a little detail that he shouldn't have jumped on, but I think the guy may not realize exactly how big BW was.
the point is, why does that matter? so he doesn't realize how big BW was in korea, but he just wanted to relay his own experiences, not write a comprehensive history of competitive gaming here. that in no way justifies the hostile post the first guy wrote.
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On June 07 2011 00:58 Ravencruiser wrote:Show nested quote +On June 07 2011 00:54 SleepTech wrote:
Once Starcraft II started beta was when I really got into it. That's when I found Team Liquid and realized that there had been an underground movement for almost 10 years now. I found Day[9], Idra, Jinro, GSL, and all the competitive movements going on. I started watching Beta youtube games, streams, GSL games.
Did you know there was a bright time before SC2? At least in Korea, Starcraft Broodwar was NOT underground at all. I'd say it started to become 100% legitimate as a thriving esport starting in the early 2000's. Your ignorance, despite your age, annoys me.
When did you join TL? A couple weeks ago? Your indignation, coming from someone even newer than the OP to TL, is annoying.
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people should stop derailing the thread from the topic to attack people =/
to be honest OP I never considered online video games as a sport even when bw was so popular in the recent years. Not for us "foreigners" anyway. It's only really with sc2 that I've started to notice a change myself. And the fact that more and more people who aren't korean are trying to make a living off playing esports.  You're not alone in that.
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Oh if only I could troll this well intentionally.
OP argued starcraft has been underground for ten years which clearly isn't true even by today's SC2 standards. Then someone comes in to say that SC numbers were tiny and nobody knew about it; with that logic then SC2 today is still tiny and "underground".
Then someone comes in attacking me yet again solely based on my join date; which is ironic because Risen joined March of last year lmao and probably has never watched broodwar.
Then again, no one here sports a proleague team tag, so I'm not suprised in the least.
Have your thread back OP; you know you can ban people from your blogs right? Just ban me so these kids can stop crying ^^
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United States140 Posts
On June 07 2011 03:34 Ravencruiser wrote:
Oh if only I could troll this well intentionally.
OP argued starcraft has been underground for ten years which clearly isn't true even by today's SC2 standards. Then someone comes in to say that SC numbers were tiny and nobody knew about it; with that logic then SC2 today is still tiny and "underground".
Then someone comes in attacking me yet again solely based on my join date; which is ironic because Risen joined March of last year lmao and probably has never watched broodwar.
Then again, no one here sports a proleague team tag, so I'm not suprised in the least.
Have your thread back OP; you know you can ban people from your blogs right? Just ban me so these kids can stop crying ^^
I actually got the same impression from the OP and was surprised to read the backlash you got.
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He also called it an underground movement. Which it wasn't. Yeah, it was a little detail that he shouldn't have jumped on, but I think the guy may not realize exactly how big BW was.
That's exactly the point.
He writes how HE experienced it, not how it WAS. That's a crucial difference right there.
People need to learn to read the context and not the little details only.
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On June 07 2011 05:16 Savreth wrote:Show nested quote +
He also called it an underground movement. Which it wasn't. Yeah, it was a little detail that he shouldn't have jumped on, but I think the guy may not realize exactly how big BW was.
That's exactly the point. He writes how HE experienced it, not how it WAS. That's a crucial difference right there. People need to learn to read the context and not the little details only.
Dawg, I said it wasn't a big deal. It's not, for the reasons you mentioned. I'm just responding to an incorrect correction.
edit: You should learn to read my posts in context.
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What a mountain out of a mole hill!
I remember when SC and WC3 were the games de-jour, and I can confirm that back then most people in the west would have found a pro-gaming scene quite an amusing concept.
The scene now is only possible due to globalisation and the internet. Only a tiny fraction of people are interested in watching pro-gaming, but with a global audience this is enough to just about support a scene.
No point getting all mad about it, even if the tone of the OP was quite strange.
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If esports is underground, does that make us all hipsters? 
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The esports scene in the U.S. certainly was "underground" as long as you had to personally attend a LAN event to be part of it. It's only been the huge advances in internet video streaming over the last five years that have made it as appealing (outside Korea) to spectate a game like Starcraft as one would spectator sports like baseball or basketball.
To a U.S. or European viewer, Korea's very healthy scene was something of an oddity, and U.S. and European viewers who nevertheless paid attention despite the language barrier and lack of easy access to content were far fewer than now.
Honestly, though, I'd say that Starcraft will still seem somewhat "underground" until it's possible to find a large audience that's more interested in watching than in playing. I don't know if that's happened yet, and I'm not sure how to tell. Maybe??
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On June 07 2011 02:06 Risen wrote:Show nested quote +On June 07 2011 00:58 Ravencruiser wrote:On June 07 2011 00:54 SleepTech wrote:
Once Starcraft II started beta was when I really got into it. That's when I found Team Liquid and realized that there had been an underground movement for almost 10 years now. I found Day[9], Idra, Jinro, GSL, and all the competitive movements going on. I started watching Beta youtube games, streams, GSL games.
Did you know there was a bright time before SC2? At least in Korea, Starcraft Broodwar was NOT underground at all. I'd say it started to become 100% legitimate as a thriving esport starting in the early 2000's. Your ignorance, despite your age, annoys me. When did you join TL? A couple weeks ago? Your indignation, coming from someone even newer than the OP to TL, is annoying.
Being new to TL doesn't give you an less of a right to be indignant. The op should have credited the fact that BW was not "underground" as he so put, but rather a legitimate activity enjoyed by thousands around the world especially in Korea. The number of people that watch chess is probably less then the number of people that watch BW, but that doesn't make Chess "underground".
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Wow, I didn't figure people would get mad about it. Maybe Korea had a HUGE esports scene going on, but I had no idea about it. None. Zilch. I did not know who July, Flash, JD, or any of the other players were until I found Team Liquid. So to me, looking back through the years of SC in Korea, it does look like an underground movement simply because no one around me knew about it. I had no idea that there were matches on television. So yes, it was a lot bigger then what I thought it was, but again, I've only found out about since last June/July. And even then, I never got into SC from Korea simply because my entire focus has been on SC II.
This is my experience. Someone else can have a different experience. You're mileage may very. It was just my thoughts on the matter.
As I stated, I can see how other 'Once Upon A Time' gamers could have this same experience. Maybe I shouldn't have been so 'factish' in my post. It's all my opinion and generalization.
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EPT
