NASL: Koreans? Top Koreans? - Page 45

On March 16 2011 11:40 Zeri wrote:
This thread of how many Koreans should be allowed into NASL has prompted some very important discussion that will decide how the esports culture grows in the West.

The argument essentially boils down to 2 different views:
A) WE NEED TO EXCLUDE KOREANS (or a small cap at like 5) because we need Western gamers beating western gamers and westerners taking home the money. Then a western culture of training for NASL will arise, there will be more western interest - more money and this will allow us to have Western team pro houses and then we can finally be as good as Koreans.
B) WE NEED TO INVITE PLENTY OF THE BEST KOREANS because this will foster consistent competition between western gamers and Korean gamers. And the more often they play together the better the western gamers will get. And with more consistent Korean appearances in the West, the esports culture in Korea will spill over to the West and it will be just as big.

Whichever mode is chosen by NASL will greatly influence on how an esports culture is created in the west.

The rationalization for excluding Koreans is that if they came and dominated the NASL, then everyone would just simply acknowledge that Korea is better and either go there to play professionally or quit because they can’t compete with what the Koreans have. And that it would be a better alternative for the NASL to strictly invite Westerners so that the money and fame stays in the west which will promote more sponsors and more money and hopefully American pro houses and then we can finally get as good as the Koreans.

The argument for inviting a bunch of Koreans is that even though they might all take out every single white guy, is that it will establish a culture where Koreans and westerners are playing eachother, and if NASL continues into more seasons, then they will establish a consistent environment for Koreans and westerns to play and practice together especially if NASL requires koreans to be here instead of online matches, then we have the possibility of Koreans coming to stay and play in American gaming houses (Even if only for a short time)


As you can see this is getting in a 'which came first, the chicken or the egg' type deal.

Do we get as good as the koreans and make esports big here? or do we make esports big here so that we can get as good as the koreans?


Here is how I see it: Our emphasis has to be on getting the top NA players as good as the top KR players first. And to do that, we go with B). We cannont emphasize creating a giant esports culture around being the not-best at starcraft. It won’t grow.

NASL has a brilliant opportunity here to make esports huge in the West, and I can see how a lot of people really want to see a westerner taking that money home. But what every western sc2 fan wants more than seeing a western guy take home that money, is an established esports culture much like there exists in Korea.

This is what NASL can do. They can either exclude Koreans for the most part, ensuring a westerner takes home some good money OR they can allow a bunch of top level Koreans come over and play. Establishing an environment where top westerns play against top Koreans, and finally allowing the Korean esports scene to spill over to the west.