Just something I found on Kotaku today...
http://kotaku.com/5092536/another-pro-gaming-league-goes-under
Another Pro Gaming League Goes Under
The Championship Gaming Series is no more. Sponsors BSkyB, STAR and DirecTV have officially ended their professional gaming business, according to an announcement posted on the league's web site. The statement explains that the CGS — which I'll always fondly remember as my ticket into the Playboy Mansion — was killed off because "profitability was too far in the future for us to sustain operations in the interim." Things are tough all over, basically.
The CGS focused on competitive gaming in titles like Counter-Strike: Source, Dead or Alive 4, FIFA, World of Warcraft and more. It joins the [b]CPL [/b]and [b]World Series of Video Games [/b]as failed attempts to garner profitable interest in watching other people play games really, really, really well.
http://www.thecgs.com/AN_IDEA_WHOSE_TIME_CAME_TOO_EARLY
Today BSkyB, STAR and DIRECTV ended their Championship Gaming Series® (CGS) business.
While the concept was ahead of its time and we are extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished, it became increasingly clear as this ambitious project evolved, that profitability was too far in the future for us to sustain operations in the interim.
Our goal was to be ahead of the curve in the e-sports space, and we conceived of CGS as a true sports league. We invested wholeheartedly in the venture and presented viewers with a top-notch production, but the economics just didn’t add up for us at this time.
Our only regret is that we will lose a team of creative and talented individuals who invested their hearts and souls into Championship Gaming Series. We recognize their achievements and thank them for their hard work and passion.
BSkyB, STAR and DIRECTV continue to be committed to the video games sector, which is an important part of many of our customers’ lives and a great source of entertainment.
Sincerely,
The CGS team
It does make one wonder why Professional Gaming succeeded in one country (South Korea) and not everywhere else. I wonder what factors made it such a huge phenomenon in S.Korea and why the same thing just didn't work out in other places around the world, at least with these other gaming leagues (the CPL, WSVG and now, CGS)? Another one bites the dust, then...
http://kotaku.com/5092536/another-pro-gaming-league-goes-under
Another Pro Gaming League Goes Under
The Championship Gaming Series is no more. Sponsors BSkyB, STAR and DirecTV have officially ended their professional gaming business, according to an announcement posted on the league's web site. The statement explains that the CGS — which I'll always fondly remember as my ticket into the Playboy Mansion — was killed off because "profitability was too far in the future for us to sustain operations in the interim." Things are tough all over, basically.
The CGS focused on competitive gaming in titles like Counter-Strike: Source, Dead or Alive 4, FIFA, World of Warcraft and more. It joins the [b]CPL [/b]and [b]World Series of Video Games [/b]as failed attempts to garner profitable interest in watching other people play games really, really, really well.
http://www.thecgs.com/AN_IDEA_WHOSE_TIME_CAME_TOO_EARLY
Today BSkyB, STAR and DIRECTV ended their Championship Gaming Series® (CGS) business.
While the concept was ahead of its time and we are extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished, it became increasingly clear as this ambitious project evolved, that profitability was too far in the future for us to sustain operations in the interim.
Our goal was to be ahead of the curve in the e-sports space, and we conceived of CGS as a true sports league. We invested wholeheartedly in the venture and presented viewers with a top-notch production, but the economics just didn’t add up for us at this time.
Our only regret is that we will lose a team of creative and talented individuals who invested their hearts and souls into Championship Gaming Series. We recognize their achievements and thank them for their hard work and passion.
BSkyB, STAR and DIRECTV continue to be committed to the video games sector, which is an important part of many of our customers’ lives and a great source of entertainment.
Sincerely,
The CGS team
It does make one wonder why Professional Gaming succeeded in one country (South Korea) and not everywhere else. I wonder what factors made it such a huge phenomenon in S.Korea and why the same thing just didn't work out in other places around the world, at least with these other gaming leagues (the CPL, WSVG and now, CGS)? Another one bites the dust, then...