How eSports can fill the void during a time without major sports

Sports is an escape for millions of people across the globe. Whatever is going on in our lives, no matter what experiences or emotions we are going through, sports is the place we get away from it all and free our mind. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to a screeching halt, leading many to experiencing more uncertainty in their lives than ever before.

As all of this is going on, every major sport has come to a stop. The NFL season is months away and in jeopardy of being pushed back. Meanwhile, Major Leaue Baseball might not have Opening Day until June at the earliest, and the NBA season is suspended indefinitely. The coronavirus has taken away so much from sports fans already, but it doesn’t have to remain that way.

eSports can fill the void for some during a time without major sports.

A rapidly growing sport: The new wave of technology, and people looking for new forms of entertainment, has helped spark the rapid growth of eSports. It has become one of the fastest-growing avenues of entertainment and it can grow even more with major sports now suspended.

• While approximately 800 million people were aware of eSports globally in 2015, that number skyrocketed to 1.57 billion, according to Statista.
• It’s estimated that by 2022, there will be more than 644 million eSports viewers across the world.
• eSports generated $1.1 billion in global revenue last year and reached an audience of more than 453.8 million people, according to Newszoo.com.
• Multiple universities now offer eSports programs and the NFL, NBA, MLB and NASCAR have all gotten involved in partnering with major eSports tournaments.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic forced states to issue stay-at-home edicts and major sports leagues were suspending their seasons, we would have seen the industry continuing to grow. Now with more people at home looking for entertainment, eSports can fill that void, and even more so for sports fans.

Something for everyone: It can be tough to find the perfect replacement for the NBA playoffs or baseball's Opening Day, but there are options out there. Fortunately, eSports offers an incredible selection of entertainment fixes.

• NBA 2K20: If you’re missing NBA action, the Phoenix Suns, pro athletes and gamers have you covered. The Suns live stream games to mirror their actual schedule, with the help of star athletes. Meanwhile, NBA stars Devin Booker and De’Aaron Fox are among a handful of players that live stream when they play.
• Madden 20: Everyone loves watching highlight reels on YouTube to remind them of football. Thanks to some of the best Madden gamers on Switch, football fans can get their football fix, feel a sense of rush seeing fourth-quarter comebacks and be amazed by some of the brilliant minds playing Madden.
• Call of Duty and Counter-Strike: If sports fans aren’t in the mood for traditional sports, first-person shooter games dominate eSports. CoD and Counter-Strike are among the most popular video games, and for good reason. A mix of strategy, communication and gamers having a little fun on a variety of platforms, it’s all there. An alley-oop slam or a huge hit are thrilling to see, but watching the best gamers orchestrate an attack like a veteran quarterback can be just as impressive.
• eNASCAR: Fox Sports 1 recently aired an eNASCAR race and many fell in love with it. The broadcast received great ratings and could be the start of something special between eSports and major networks. Even NASCAR and Formula 1 drivers are getting in on eSports.
• League of Legends and Fortnite: Two of the kings of video games and eSports, millions of gamers put their skills on display. Because some of the top in-person tournaments have been postponed, top gamers are showing their talents online for fans to enjoy.

These are among the biggest options for eSports’ entertainment and there are even more for fans to choose from. Those kinds of options are hard to find anywhere, but that’s what makes eSports even better to fill the void.

The bottom line: We don’t have our favorite sports right now and it could be months before we see them return. The COVID-19 pandemic is a concerning issue, and we all need an escape to get away from it all. eSports is perfect for filling that void.

If you’re determined to find live sports to enjoy, Rocket League, Madden, eNASCAR and NBA 2K streams have you covered. For fans willing to dive into games that involve strategy, skill and communication — traits key to our favorite sports — CounterStrike, Fortnite and Call of Duty can offer that.

Even if you don’t know a lot about eSports, now is the perfect time to watch. Scroll around on Twitch, YouTube or Mixer and find something that interests you. The time will fly by and before we know it, our favorite sports will be back.