Esports 30

Speak Up

June 05, 2020 16:01 - 23 minutes - 31.7 MB

Today is a little bit different episode (WE’RE FREE TO SAY WHAT WE WANT!). There’s a lot of unrest in the world as peaceful protestors take up the #BlackLivesMatter cause. […]

I’m Gooooooin’ Through Chaaaaaanges

May 29, 2020 15:49 - 11 minutes - 15.9 MB

We have a LOT of things to discuss! The show will be transitioning to a new format and destination (including video!) which Kevin talks about at length. Plus, because it’s […]

How to Launch a Team

May 26, 2020 19:49 - 51.2 MB

Anna Baumann (@esportslawEU) joins Kevin this week to discuss Rogue’s entry to the LEC and what it was like to bring a brand new team into the ecosystem and the […]

Madden Cannot Replace Football

May 22, 2020 17:24 - 30.1 MB

When a players uses a rush only strategy to win a major Madden event, that’s great for esports, but proof most sports fans won’t seriously watch esports events as a […]

Aim Assist in Competitive Play is Doo-Doo

May 19, 2020 07:01 - 43.6 MB

Consoles are great. Controllers are great. Aim assist giving casual players a good time is great. Aim assist is competitive play is not. Kevin talks about the recent drama in […]

Low-Spec Games Will Always Win

May 16, 2020 22:08 - 23.5 MB

CS:GO is offering a beta texture streaming option to allow low end PCs a more stable competitive experience, and Kevin talks about why the game needs stuff like this in […]

What if the Walls Come Falling Down?

May 12, 2020 07:01 - 53.7 MB

Kevin was asked over the weekend about what would happen if a league the size of the Overwatch League were to shut down. So more happy topics today yay! Plus, […]

Rip Off the Bandage

May 08, 2020 19:00 - 38.2 MB

If your league, team, or organization makes a critical mistake and your fans notice? Apologize and own up to it immediately. Kevin talks this week about why it seems that […]

Friend of the show Frank Villarreal (@Rogue_Frank), President and Founder of Rogue, joins to talk about conflicts of interest and why the Doublelift situation is all manufactured outrage. Plus, he […]

Haters Gonna Doublehate

May 01, 2020 20:20 - 31.9 MB

Seriously, Doublelift to TSM is not a big deal, and the personalities advocating that it is are just pushing for clicks and outrage. Kevin talks about that along with why […]

Esports Are Still the Only Sports

April 28, 2020 07:01 - 51.7 MB

Why was everyone so upset about Doublelift going back to TSM? It’s most likely to hurt them in the event something goes wrong! Also, Chris Bumbaca (@BOOMbaca) joins to talk […]

Normal-ish

April 24, 2020 16:37 - 43 MB

Will esports return to normal after the crisis? Michael O’Dell (@ODEEisOG) joins Kevin today to talk about the impacts of this recession vs the 2008-2009 recession and how it will […]

Games of the Resistance

April 21, 2020 18:03 - 39.9 MB

Why is China banning gamers from connecting with others outside the country? Because games are one of the best ways for dissenters to communicate. Plus, Kevin talks about his experience […]

Gaming Chairs Are Bad (Lukewarm Take Time)

April 17, 2020 18:46 - 41.8 MB

Kevin hates gaming chairs. Hates them. He talks today about why he feels validated in this opinion along with BMW’s huge team sponsorship, Nevada taking wagers for esports officially, and […]

How Does a Pro LoL Team Prepare for Competition?

April 14, 2020 07:01 - 52.6 MB

Kevin is joined by Tomas (@RGEflyy) and Nico (@IAmBlueLoL) from Rogue’s League of Legends team to discuss how a team is built in preparation for pro play and how moving […]

Friendship Ended with Coronavirus, Now VALORANT is My Best Friend

April 10, 2020 19:14 - 30.7 MB

Ok we’re done talking about COVID-19 for a while. We could all use a little break. So let’s talk about the launch of VALORANT and why this week has provided […]

Quarantined, and it Feels So Good

April 07, 2020 07:05 - 49.7 MB

Yep we’re all still stuck inside. So Dave Amirrezvani (@DPTDave) joins Kevin to talk about how you can keep yourself sane and healthy while locked inside. Plus, Kevin discusses his […]

Do Esports Teams Need a Bailout from Developers?

April 03, 2020 16:07 - 30.8 MB

The market downturn is coming for everyone, so Kevin talks about what will happen with esports teams and why teams entirely reliant on advertiser revenue could fold during the recession […]

The Coronavirus Viewership Bump

March 31, 2020 07:05 - 44 MB

If there’s a silver lining for gamers in the midst of this crazy global pandemic, it’s that there’s unprecedented traffic to game servers, esports events, and livestreamers in general. Jake […]

Don’t Lose Hope! Esports is Here to Save Us

March 27, 2020 20:12 - 31.1 MB

Today, we try to get away from talking about event cancellations or other depressing plague news. So Kevin answers a bunch of questions from listeners about content in our new […]

Don't Lose Hope! Esports is Here to Save Us

March 27, 2020 20:12 - 22 minutes

Today, we try to get away from talking about event cancellations or other depressing plague news. So Kevin answers a bunch of questions from listeners about content in our new reality, including what esports opportunities there are right now, how gambling will affect competitive integrity, and whether online league play ensures a true competitive game or not.

Sad There's No Sports? Play Virtual Sports!

March 24, 2020 07:01 - 25 minutes

Well there's no getting around it, there's one topic in the world and we talk about it, including an update on Kevin's health. Then, Richard Grisham from the studio behind Out of the Park Baseball joins to discuss sports video games in a world without sports and how sports management simulation games support their competitive players.

Sad There’s No Sports? Play Virtual Sports!

March 24, 2020 07:01 - 35.6 MB

Well there’s no getting around it, there’s one topic in the world and we talk about it, including an update on Kevin’s health. Then, Richard Grisham from the studio behind […]

Kevin is Sick

March 20, 2020 18:12 - 10.6 MB

Welp, Kevin is actually getting some cold and flu symptoms, so while he unnecessarily freaks out for a while and self quarantines, here’s a quick reminder in a shorter episode […]

Don’t Go Outside, Go Play Video Games

March 17, 2020 07:05 - 61.7 MB

Hey everyone, please stay inside if you can. This thing is really serious and even if you’re not part of an at-risk group, you could infect those who are immunocompromised […]

Don't Go Outside, Go Play Video Games

March 17, 2020 07:05 - 44 minutes

Hey everyone, please stay inside if you can. This thing is really serious and even if you're not part of an at-risk group, you could infect those who are immunocompromised or have respiratory problems. It's a big deal and everyone should do their part to slow this thing down. In the meantime, play a bunch of video games and listen to Kevin talk to Taylor Cocke, gaming PR and former games journalist about more esports sites covering general gaming culture, the effect of the coronavirus on gam...

Coronavirus is the Most Morbid Boon to Esports Yet

March 13, 2020 16:57 - 30 MB

It’s callous, cold, and heartless, but the social impacts of the coronavirus are likely to keep a lot of people inside in the near future which is already showing to […]

They May Not Be Brand Safe, but FPS Games are Still on Top

March 10, 2020 07:05 - 44.7 MB

Frank Villarreal (@Rogue_Frank), President and Co-Founder of Rogue, joins Kevin to discuss the effect the coronavirus has had on events and teams, Diabotical vs Valorant, and follow ups to 2020 […]

Esports Events Are a Tough Business

March 07, 2020 15:23 - 23.8 MB

Mid and low tier esports events have always proven to be tough to get fans to attend, and the coronavirus may actually show leagues and investors and improving the virtual […]

Running a Collegiate Esports Event 101

March 03, 2020 08:05 - 50.7 MB

Ross Ledford and Ryan Griffin join Kevin this week to take you through, step by step, how to plan and organize a collegiate esports event. Ever wonder how to start […]

Plague, Inc.

February 29, 2020 20:38 - 19.8 MB

The coronavirus is still coming for us! But don’t panic, just take it seriously like game companies cancelling events are doing. And more will do the same in the near […]

Taking Care of Yourself Makes You a Better Gamer, Too

February 25, 2020 08:05 - 59.9 MB

Dave Amirrezvani (@DPTDave), a healthcare professional and esports fan, stops by the studio to answer listener questions on gamer health and wellness and why it’s so hard to sell the […]

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

February 21, 2020 20:49 - 31.6 MB

Esports has been presented as an industry taking off like a rocket ship for years, but is it? Kevin talks about why the entertainment side of gaming still is, but […]

Drugs Are Bad, Mmmkay

February 18, 2020 20:03 - 24.7 MB

Kevin is upset that leagues aren’t doing more to prevent players from using ADHD stimulants as a performance booster in competition. This week, we look at a feature in the […]

Interviewer Inception

February 14, 2020 19:49 - 51.7 MB

What happens when two people who interview people for a living get together for a podcast? A meta conversation about interviewing develops of course! Arda Ocal (@Arda), ESPN interviewer, anchor, […]

Twitter is not Real Life

February 11, 2020 16:48 - 39.1 MB

Know what’s a bad move? Burning bridges. Don’t do it. This week Kevin talks about burning bridges and the fact that Twitter rants do nothing. Literally nothing. Also, Kevin answers […]

Saying Franchises Are 100% Bad is Dumb

February 07, 2020 22:47 - 24.5 MB

It was 2017. Franchises were on the horizon and you would have thought esports was ending because investors wanted ownership of things. Kevin talks today about the shortsighted nature of […]

How to Build a Pro Team

February 04, 2020 08:05 - 54.5 MB

Tomas “flyy” Mihailov joins Kevin this week to talk about why high level mechanical players need experience to make the transition to pro, how Rogue navigated the process of building […]

C O R O N A V I R U S

January 31, 2020 23:34 - 21.7 MB

Kevin is sick! And you’ll hear it! But it’s not the coronavirus… we think. So while it’s personally relevant to him, Kevin talks about esports events in China cancelling because […]

How do we make esports more compelling to casual fans?

January 28, 2020 19:06 - 37 MB

In a special episode this week, Kevin talks with his wife and fellow gamer, Kathryn, what she sees as a real esports fan, but not someone who’s a hardcore competitive […]

“Sipping” on Bud Light? Who Does That?

January 24, 2020 15:37 - 26.5 MB

Kevin talks about the new Bud Light sponsorship of the LCS and why he thinks it’s smart for developers and leagues to partner with alcohol and gambling sponsors despite some […]

"Sipping" on Bud Light? Who Does That?

January 24, 2020 15:37 - 19 minutes

Kevin talks about the new Bud Light sponsorship of the LCS and why he thinks it's smart for developers and leagues to partner with alcohol and gambling sponsors despite some cries to (probably) protect the kids and why Riot's partnerships lead is terribly wrong when he says that people like to "sip" Bud Light. Chug maybe? Definitely not sip. Then Kevin answers a follow up listener question about digital goods benefiting local market teams.

Esports Industry Revenue is Bigger Than You Think

January 18, 2020 19:16 - 31 MB

Today Kevin answers a listener question on why local market franchise teams lack connection with their fans and then discusses the absurd esports industry revenue statistics that crop up every […]

Don't Root for Leagues to Die

January 14, 2020 08:05 - 42 minutes

Jason Lake, founder of Complexity, joins Kevin to talk about his team's experience with the Dallas Cowboys organization, how investors view an investment before they sign the deal, and why you shouldn't root for any league to die even if you hate the game and their approach. Driving investors away is good for no one. But first, Kevin talks about the Vindex/IMAX partnership that was just announced.

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