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Esports 30
58 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 20 ratingsKevin is going to be moving to a new show! Numbers Game, a live video show + podcast about the business of gaming and esports is debuting soon. Head to https://numbersgame.gg to follow updates. In the meantime, this will be continue to be used for interim episodes and thoughts from Kevin and as an archive of Esports 30 episodes from the Westwood One Podcast Network.
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Episodes
Speak Up
June 05, 2020 16:01 - 23 minutes - 31.7 MBToday 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 MBWe 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 MBAnna 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 MBWhen 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 MBConsoles 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 MBCS: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 MBKevin 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 MBIf 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 […]
Manufacturing Outrage
May 05, 2020 07:30 - 43.4 MBFriend 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 MBSeriously, 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 MBWhy 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 MBWill 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 MBWhy 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 MBKevin 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 MBKevin 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 MBOk 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 MBYep 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 MBThe 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 MBIf 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 MBToday, 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 minutesToday, 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 minutesWell 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 MBWell 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 MBWelp, 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 MBHey 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 minutesHey 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 MBIt’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 MBFrank 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 MBMid 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 MBRoss 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 MBThe 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 MBDave 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 MBEsports 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 MBKevin 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 MBWhat 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 MBKnow 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 MBIt 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 MBTomas “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 MBKevin 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 MBIn 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 MBKevin 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 minutesKevin 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 MBToday 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 minutesJason 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.
Don’t Root for Leagues to Die
January 14, 2020 08:05 - 56.7 MBJason 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 […]
Ok, Maybe the Sky IS Falling
January 10, 2020 19:30 - 45.6 MBOn our first weekly news recap episode, Kevin talks about the continued drama around the OWL and recent changes to the LCS broadcast structure. Plus, a listener question on how […]
The Sky is (Not) Falling!
January 07, 2020 08:05 - 49.6 MBThis week, Kevin talks with Shahrukh Panjwani, esports business development professional and team advisor, about whether or not the OWL is failing and, if so, what that would do to […]
New Year Mailbag!
December 30, 2019 16:25 - 37.7 MBIt’s the holidays! In this episode, Kevin talks about the US Navy shifting their advertising budget away from TV and towards esports and online video, whether or not investors will […]
R.I.P. Esports
December 17, 2019 08:05 - 45.7 MBFrank Villarreal, President and Founder of Rogue, joins the show to talk about his hot take of 2020: Esports will take a back seat to influencer driven content around story […]
NA LoL Players Need More Tournaments
December 10, 2019 08:05 - 51.8 MBKevin never wants to take a red eye ever again, and he tells you why. Plus, LoL All-Star wasn’t as hype as last year. Then, Alberto “Crumbz” Rengifo joins Esports […]