‘Little League for esports’ hopes to organize youth gaming
Christian Pineda plays a lot of video games, but he’s best at “Minecraft.” Hunched over a laptop in the front row of a half-full movie theatre last month, the 13-year-old eagerly showed off why.
“I basically know the controls like the back of my hand,” he said before turning his focus back to a tight match against a rival team from Boston.
Christian claims to be shy at school, but here, he’s a vocal leader on a New York team of nearly 20 esports competitors, some as young as 6 years old. With a spot in the league finals on the line, Christian tapped away at his keyboard and excitedly discussed tactics with teammates.
The group was strategizing over pickaxes and archers, not pitchers and catchers, but the focus on teamwork and communication could have come straight from the bench at a youth baseball game.
At Super League Gaming events like this, that’s the goal.
“Like Little League for esports,” said Super League CEO Ann Hand.
Super League is trying to bring structure to an industry devoid of it at the youth level. The organization was founded in 2015 and runs national leagues for three esports games: “Minecraft” for players in elementary and middle school, and “League of Legends” and “Clash Royale” for older players. Kids are often introduced to competitive video games via “Minecraft” before graduating to “League of Legends,” giving them a place to train and play throughout their teenage years and beyond - the “League of Legends” competitions don’t have an age limit. Super League Gaming has tens of thousands of players, although not all attend every live event, and its “Minecraft” championship has been turned into a reality TV show on Nickelodeon.
The hope is that Super League can close a major gap in the esports ecosystem for young gamers, particularly in the U.S. The industry is set to eclipse $1 billion soon, and there are more professional opportunities than ever. Pros in the NA LCS - the top North American “League of Legends” circuit - averaged over $300,000 in salary this season, and many colleges now provide esports scholarships. Careers in esports coaching or game design are increasingly in demand, too.
But to pursue those jobs, players need to start early.
Esports pros often peak in their early 20s, and elite talents in countries like South Korea are being identified before reaching middle school.
The relatively weak U.S. gamer pool is holding back North American franchises from competing on an international stage. Esports powerhouse Cloud9 became the first NA LCS club to make the semifinals at the League of Legends World Championship this year, and it only had one U.S. player in its starting lineup. The lacklustre American feeder system was a talking point when NA LCS franchise owners met this summer.
“A lot of our amateur system has fallen away,” said NA LCS Commissioner Chris Greeley. “I think we all agree that it is shallower right now than it could be and should be.”
Riot Games, which publishes “League of Legends” and manages its professional circuits, is partnered with Super League and hopes the organization can boost the reputation of American gaming.
Super League uses proprietary software to pair players with competition at the appropriate skill level, and its weekly inperson events allow for stronger development than if players were left to practice alone.
Super League also makes it easier for pro franchises to scout players and evaluate their talent and makeup.