EPTOn May 27 2010 13:27 bias- wrote:
I'm along these lines.
I might still keep track and check in once and a while. But even now, I follow SC2 much much less than I do SC1.. because as a spectator, I feel it is simply not as fun to watch. With all this added drama before the game is even out... and it all being about money and not the community... I really just want to be participating to boycott the bullshit. Wish there was some petition (is there?) or something many people, foreign + korean, could take part in to deliver the message that we want a great community and culture just like SC1... and that this is a lot less likely to happen if things keep up (going down) at the current rate.
Anyone feel similar?
I'm along these lines.
I might still keep track and check in once and a while. But even now, I follow SC2 much much less than I do SC1.. because as a spectator, I feel it is simply not as fun to watch. With all this added drama before the game is even out... and it all being about money and not the community... I really just want to be participating to boycott the bullshit. Wish there was some petition (is there?) or something many people, foreign + korean, could take part in to deliver the message that we want a great community and culture just like SC1... and that this is a lot less likely to happen if things keep up (going down) at the current rate.
Anyone feel similar?
I do.
On May 27 2010 17:24 Letmelose wrote:
There's not enough money in E-Sports for everyone to have a big piece of the pie.
Here is how big the scene is.
There are two cable channels dedicated to the coverage of E-Sports; OGN and MBC Game. Each broadcasting channel has an individual league, but that's not where the money is. The money is in the Proleague, with the corporate sponsored teams duking it out for glory. The corporations that are funding the teams ARE Kespa, and they OWN the players. They get no direct profit from the scene other than the exposure they get on television.
GomTV has no television channel of their own. It's just an internet broadcasting system. While it makes no difference for the average non-Korean viewer. It is a HUGE difference for the Koreans. Yes, the hardcore fans will follow professional Starcraft no matter what the media is, but do you expect the corporate sponsors to keep the scene alive simply for the fans? Total bullshit. They're in it for the air time on television and public relations reasons.
I don't give two shits about bunch of money hungry whores playing their ego battles for what they feel they deserve, but what I DO care for is the scene that the PLAYERS have created through their dedication, their inhuman skills and passion for the game in general. The conditions under which they play are mind boggling, and not at all lucrative for the effort they put in, but things are better than they were before. You know why? Because E-Sports in Korea has developed from a select few gamers going around looking for tournament prizes to rake in, to having corporate sponsored teams that pays them (not much, unfortunately, in most cases) for what they do.
The moment the corporate sponsors lose control over the scene, that serves no function (in their minds) other than getting them exposure to nationwide younger audiences, I wouldn't be surprised if they ditched the scene for Blizzard to deal with. Or even worse, leave the scene in ruins, with Korea's finest gaming minds not able to showcase their skills ANYWHERE if Kespa makes them uphold their contracts with their teams (that are controlled by Kespa).
FUCK THAT. Fuck the English commentary by GomTV. Fuck Blizzard for getting their share. Fuck Starcaft 2. Blizzard doesn't feed the scene. Blizzard didn't create the scene. There's already one money hungry whore running the scene for what little market it has (it's NOT that big I assure you), but at least it is willing to keep the teams running (and the teams pay the players, and the players ARE the scene). What makes you people think Blizzard is willing to spend millions running the teams? Blizzard is in it for the money, just like Kespa.
If the corporate sponsors that run Kespa don't feel like the E-Sports industry isn't worth giving Blizzard what they desire, we'll be left with Blizzard and GomTV running the scene with what is left over from the scene. A bunch of unpaid teenagers. No television coverage. Falling interest from the Korean viewers. It doesn't matter how good Starcaft 2 is. We'll have to start all over, and there's no guarantee that it'll work again this time. Blizzard are money hungry whores. At least Kespa doesn't hide it.
There's not enough money in E-Sports for everyone to have a big piece of the pie.
Here is how big the scene is.
There are two cable channels dedicated to the coverage of E-Sports; OGN and MBC Game. Each broadcasting channel has an individual league, but that's not where the money is. The money is in the Proleague, with the corporate sponsored teams duking it out for glory. The corporations that are funding the teams ARE Kespa, and they OWN the players. They get no direct profit from the scene other than the exposure they get on television.
GomTV has no television channel of their own. It's just an internet broadcasting system. While it makes no difference for the average non-Korean viewer. It is a HUGE difference for the Koreans. Yes, the hardcore fans will follow professional Starcraft no matter what the media is, but do you expect the corporate sponsors to keep the scene alive simply for the fans? Total bullshit. They're in it for the air time on television and public relations reasons.
I don't give two shits about bunch of money hungry whores playing their ego battles for what they feel they deserve, but what I DO care for is the scene that the PLAYERS have created through their dedication, their inhuman skills and passion for the game in general. The conditions under which they play are mind boggling, and not at all lucrative for the effort they put in, but things are better than they were before. You know why? Because E-Sports in Korea has developed from a select few gamers going around looking for tournament prizes to rake in, to having corporate sponsored teams that pays them (not much, unfortunately, in most cases) for what they do.
The moment the corporate sponsors lose control over the scene, that serves no function (in their minds) other than getting them exposure to nationwide younger audiences, I wouldn't be surprised if they ditched the scene for Blizzard to deal with. Or even worse, leave the scene in ruins, with Korea's finest gaming minds not able to showcase their skills ANYWHERE if Kespa makes them uphold their contracts with their teams (that are controlled by Kespa).
FUCK THAT. Fuck the English commentary by GomTV. Fuck Blizzard for getting their share. Fuck Starcaft 2. Blizzard doesn't feed the scene. Blizzard didn't create the scene. There's already one money hungry whore running the scene for what little market it has (it's NOT that big I assure you), but at least it is willing to keep the teams running (and the teams pay the players, and the players ARE the scene). What makes you people think Blizzard is willing to spend millions running the teams? Blizzard is in it for the money, just like Kespa.
If the corporate sponsors that run Kespa don't feel like the E-Sports industry isn't worth giving Blizzard what they desire, we'll be left with Blizzard and GomTV running the scene with what is left over from the scene. A bunch of unpaid teenagers. No television coverage. Falling interest from the Korean viewers. It doesn't matter how good Starcaft 2 is. We'll have to start all over, and there's no guarantee that it'll work again this time. Blizzard are money hungry whores. At least Kespa doesn't hide it.
Thanks for that quality post.
