Evil Geniuses Race Alongside NASCAR to Bring Esports to Chicagoland Speedway
The next evolution of sports entertainment is the inclusion of eSports and the merging of the two industries. Sports are ingrained in American culture, but it is a culture that ceases to change. Everything from grocery shopping to transportation has adopted a prominent digital platform. In following the trend, where else can sports go but digital? And not just in the way we consume sports, but the way we experience sports as spectators and as athletes. Although electronic sports seem like a natural extension, we have yet to really see sports video games be a part of top-level esports offerings. In a series of recent interviews we got the notion that this may soon change.
We recently sat down for an exclusive behind the scenes look with members of the Evil Geniuses Halo team during their promo shoot at Chicagoland Speedway. So why are Evil Geniuses on the speedway? The shoot was in preparation for an upcoming promotional event on Saturday, September 17th, for the release of NASCARS’ brand new video game NASCAR Heat Evolution. Comcast Xfinity, — sponsor of Evil Geniuses, ESL (formerly, Electronic Sports League), and NASCAR — saw this game release as the perfect opportunity to merge sports fans with esports fans and expose both to a new experience. Kyle “Elamite” Elam, Host and Project Manager for ESL, shared this sentiment. “It’s awesome to see the new opportunities emerging in esports and the gap being bridged between mainstream people who just game for fun [and esports enthusiasts].” The ending product is a 4-hour gaming event where fans of all ages are invited to the XFINITY Zone to participate in both NASCAR Heat Evolution and Halo tournaments against Evil Geniuses and NASCAR Drivers.
Matt Lederer, Executive Director of Sports Marketing for Comcast, shared why this event was so important to the XFINITY brand. “We thought this was a good opportunity to benefit both of our partnerships by working together. [The demographics around esports are very attractive and important to NASCAR, and the visibility of NASCAR is great leverage for the esports industry].”
So is bridging the gap between sports and esports the key to boosting the industry? Ryan “Towey” Towey, the coach of the EG Halo team explains, “There are different tiers of esports titles, and sports in general reaches North America better. Having these types of events (partnered with XFINITY, at Chicagoland Speedway, for NASCAR), helps legitimize what we do.” His team member Jason “Lunchbox” Brown adds, “There is also a need to get some of the gaming fans who don’t know much about esports, that are fans of traditional sports, to see the competitive side.”
An event like this signals a major shift in strategy for the future of esports. EG Halo team member Justin “Roy” Brown, discussed how the esports landscape might be changing and his hopes that sports games could come into the forefront of professional gaming. He specifically pointed to Madden as one of the most successful sports games at this point in time. Interestingly enough, EA Sports has recently announced its plans for Madden to be an official esport title. The popularity of Madden may be attributed to the popularity of football in America. If traditional sports are able to grow into successful esports, it may be easier to convert those fans into spectators of esports. Let’s face it, if the industry is going to continue to grow exponentially, it has to cater to a broader audience. Unfortunately, the masses are not so intrigued thus far.
As for Evil Geniuses’ involvement in sports video games, “Towey” says they do not have current plans to create teams in sports games, but the future is unwritten. He explains this event is all about connecting with the public:
“We are just really excited to, engage with our fans. It’s a fantastic opportunity to be able to compete at Halo alongside some of our fans, and also play a brand new NASCAR Heat Evolution title for the very first time. It will really be fun to play something not as stressful for us…” — “Towey”
On the other hand, Dusenberry Martin Racing (DMRacing), publisher of NASCAR Heat Evolution, seems very interested in becoming part of the esports scene. Housed right inside of the NASCAR headquarters, DMRacing was founded in 2015 with 100% focus on NASCAR games. Matt Dusenberry, Director of Partnerships and Revenue, expressed that there is an exciting buzz around this game: First, it is the first authentic NASCAR game to be released on XBOX One and PlayStation 4. Second, a great deal of thought and creativity has gone into the production with a focus on esports specifically.
“Before there’s an esport, there has to be a great game. That’s what we’ve been focused on developing for the last 2 years…For the first time ever we have a 40 person online multiplayer… With our ability to put 40 people in a race on multiplayer, it really opens the door for elite play and esports involvement in the future.” — M. Dusenberry
The growth of esports will rely on its ability to partner with influential big brands which in turn depends on the willingness of those brands to see the potential. According to Lederer, Comcast executives easily saw the potential, which is evident in their decision to sponsor Evil Geniuses & ESL. “The conversation was very easy. They got it! They understood the market, they understood the passion, and understood that our product was really core to it.” This product of course being the internet. One of the sponsorship perks offered to the EG Halo Team was outfitting their Bloomington, IL-based XFINITY Training facility with the new Gigabit Pro Internet. It is an ultra-high-speed internet which “Towey” testifies is “Unbelievable!”
For more information on the event visit www.chicagoesportsandgaming.com or RSVP at https://www.meetup.com/Chicago-eSports-Gaming.
