While the mere mention of FC Barcelona calls to mind visions of Lionel Messi’s immaculate goals or the packed stands of Camp Nou, the club is also host to a variety of other sports teams ranging from basketball to handball. But, the newest team of FC Barcelona will be eSports.
That’s right—you could be watching Barcelona take the pitch against rivals Real Madrid in the world famous El Clásico, at the same time as a group of the worlds best FIFA players are battling out the same matchup in the digital realm.
Euroleague’s digital team is potentially crafting the concept of an eSports league that will take place under some of Europe’s biggest professional sports clubs.
The eSports league would be more closely tied to Euroleague—Europe’s highest tier of professional basketball, which includes teams from all over the continent. So, a team from Lithuania could be matched up against a Turkish team. In fact one of the clubs, Baskonia from Spain, already has an official eSports team, so this will be an easy transition for them.
Euroleague’s digital team has already been one of the most innovative in all of sports. They entertained the idea of in-jersey cameras, offering fans the closest view of the game possible. Their digital media platform is also a feat, seeing as they are able to connect fans from different countries on a daily basis.
This would be a big move for eSports—injecting some sense of structure and professional clout into the sport. Additionally, it should prove well for European eSports in general, who tend to fall short of many of the powerhouse eSports teams from places like South Korea and China.
The idea of this new league is something to be expected though, seeing as eSports has exponentially risen in popularity over the last few years. Currently, they are a $500 million global business, which is about one-fourth of what hockey makes.
As this league develops, surely the clubs’ already standing partnerships with gaming corporations like EA Sports will help this eSports Euroleague blossom into one of the world’s biggest gaming leagues.
Below is the teaser video: