Emmy Awards to Recognise Outstanding Esports Coverage
The Emmy Awards is expanding its “universe” to include a dedicated category for esports journalism.
Esports has already seen recognition at the Emmy Awards. Riot Games won the Outstanding Live Graphic Design category in 2018 for its 2017 League of Legends World Championship digitized dragon display. There have also been esports nominations in Outstanding Studio Design.
This week’s announcement of an award solely relevant to esports, however, is a tremendous progression and great news for the esports industry. As per The Washington Post, The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is adding “Outstanding Esports Coverage” as a category and an award “to recognize the craft behind the delivery of coverage and presentation of competitive, organized video gaming to the viewer during a championship or final event.”
Esports is an industry that’s grown because of the attraction of play and competition as well as the of streaming of competitive and non-competitive play.
The Academy’s decision was reportedly unanimous. Justine Gubar, executive director of Sports Emmy Awards Administration says they “want to be more forward thinking,” adding:
“In five years, esports is going to be more massive. The major networks are buying into it. Some of our key partners are big players in the esports world.”
Esports betting site Unikrn tweeted the news, adding “esports is getting some love from the Emmy awards!” Across Twitter, gamers and streamers alike are thrilled another iconic institution is formally recognizing esports.
One of the world’s most successful esports streamers, Ninja, recently appeared on the Kevin Hart Show sharing his view on what it takes to be a successful streamer and the two choices for making money in gaming, streaming or competing.
Image courtesy of Tommaso Boddi / WireImage
