Owing to the pandemic-induced lockdowns, the popularity of gaming and esports has swelled amongst a larger audience. Just like any other form of entertainment, when gaming becomes competitive, there is a natural uptick in its consumption.
Today, the surge in its popularity is largely attributable to the shift in mindset. Gone are the days when gaming was perceived as a mere hobby. Having become a million-dollar business, gaming is not only seen as a viable source of income and a career option for numerous passionate gamers but also has a legitimate esports category that witnesses immense participation. Swarms of players have ventured into esports with new teams being formed to leverage the talent and platform in this growing space.
In fact, new esports formats have been mapped out by the organisers; one of such popular formats is the IPL style esports tournament.
Garena Free Fire IPL style tournament Esports Premiere League(ESPL) is one such esports tournaments that commenced on 16 June and the tournament is expected to be played over a period of two and a half months.
In conversation with Animationxpress ESPL director Vishwalok Nath shared, “The primary idea behind ESPL is our aim to serve the gaming community in India by offering them a national stage to exhibit their talent. This will push gaming to the mainstream and on par with some of the other competitive sports. India has a lot of untapped potential in the esports arena. We would want to help discover and nurture this under-utilized reserve of talent.Our goal is to make esports a viable and lucrative option for Indians so that even parents can encourage their kids to follow the route of becoming a professional esports athlete.”
The top eight teams representing the eight cities will be selected after the end of Level 2. They have also invited the eight of the top national Free Fire teams to compete with amateur teams from Level 1 in the second stage. “We will share information around the invited teams in the coming weeks,”Nath added.
They are not working on any framework to auction any individual players in ESPL. However, they are working on the entire teams’ framework. From 2022 onwards they will start team auctions in ESPL where all eight teams will be part of the auction to represent one of the eight regions from next year. The main similarity of ESPL with IPL tournament they is around “the city-based franchise system where owners can participate in an auction to choose the best team is the primary similarity. Other aspects that one may outline as similar include the discovery of fresh talent through a national stage,” he shared.
IPL is the most celebrated sports league in India and when the same format of leagues happen in esports the chances to engage more viewers will automatically increased. They have introduced a city-based franchise system to engage gamers from the grassroots level. According to him ESPL will allow the public to connect with the gaming community and provide a deeper understanding of the industry. With time and exposure, the general public will able to understand that besides being a leisure activity, gaming is also a serious profession as well as a business.
Tiger Shroff has been signed as the brand ambassador for Esports Premier League as the brand aims to tap into the section of millennials and Gen-Z through the actor’s popularity and strong influence.
Touching upon on the challenges that possibly lie ahead for IPL like esports tournament Nath commented, “The primary challenge is both the scale as well as the dispersed geographic spread of ESPL during the ongoing pandemic. But both these things are not unique to any nation-wide esports tournament that has happened across the globe during this time.The good thing here is how we can do everything right from the comfort and safety of the home. We can involve so many players without inviting them to a stadium to ensure that everyone stays safe.”
Speaking of the future of IPL like esports in India, he asserted that the success they wish to achieve should similar to IPL in the coming time. “We are certain that other esports leagues with a similar setup will emerge in the coming years,” he shared.
“We request you to wait and watch out our plans for the second half of the year. You can be rest assured that ESPL is not the only tournament on the calendar,” he concluded on a promissory note with a clear indication that there is a string of plans for 2021 apart from ESPL that are in store for us.