How long before gamerz get paid for pwning?

[Blue_Chill]

<snip>
The video-game industry has outpaced Hollywood (PDF) in terms of revenues over the last few years, yet gaming has remained part of the pop culture gutter. However, big money and media exposure is helping change that. Top tournaments now offer as much as $200,000 in purses and draw thousands of international players.

We're at a point of explosive growth," said Angel Munoz, founder of the Cyberathlete Professional League. "The problem is that things are fantastic. We have to limit the events right now." <snip>

source: http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,59895,00.html

It seems that the best players are racking in loads of cash. I don't think it will be too long before sponsers move in and start shelling out cash to attach their name to the best teams.

Allow me to explain. Teams in games are called 'clans' most of the time. Clans identify eachother by "wearing clan tags" which means placing a certain text before your name. My clan name looks like this goos·ÐestinØ the "goos" stand for "gods of on-line shooters" my clan.

Now imagine you are a company that makes software or hardware and you want to break into the gaming market (gamers tend to buy the latest and greatest hardware and thus are a very appealing market). What better advertisment is there then having the best teams in tournies using your name. For Example having a EA teams or Nvidia teams? You reach your market and show that you support them.

Thoughts?

[Systematic Chaos]

1. Give it two years, three tops

and gaming tournaments will be almost as big here as they are in places like South Korea.

Thank goodness, being a gamer is FINALLY losing the stigma it had in the 80's and early 90's when you were considered by many to be a socially retarded geek if you played a lot of Nintendo.

[Blue_Chill]

3. lol!

socially retarded geek

lol! that was funny.

Your post is very true.

[Occulus]

2. I think it's already been

done, or at least considered. I heard the NVidia name used very prominently on TechTV's Extended Play a while back in conjunction with their online "tournament" in (I think it was) Unreal Tourney 2K3.

Granted, it wasn't for money, but the marketing ppl at NVidia and others surely see the value of such endorsements.

[Blue_Chill]

4. Nvidia hosts everything

There is a insult of a competition coming to DC next weekend. I refuse to go for a mere $500 pay out. Hopefully soon more will get into it forcing the price for sponsorship to increase.