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Established 1961 15 Technology Thursday, May 24, 2018 ‘Overwatch League’ eSports dreams of rivaling mainstream standards The league has developed its own stars and legions of followers LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Gladiators Global ambitions stand what the feeling is to be a sport person. becoming as well known as the Los Angeles The popularity of the Overwatch League can There is also an element where you feel you are Lakers? Or the Boston Uprising one day rivaling be seen during a screening of a game at the at a theme park, with all those big screens, the the New England Patriots for prestige? It may Blizzard Arena in the Los Angeles suburb of beautiful set. When the game starts, it gets you seem like a distant, unlikely prospect, but the Burbank. Hundreds of spectators, some dressed in so pumped.” founders, participants and fans of the Overwatch the colors of their chosen team and others The grand plan for the Overwatch League is League eSports dream of it one day becoming a dressed as characters from the game itself crowd to create a true global competition, expanding to reality. In a relatively short space of time, the into the arena to watch the two six-member 28 teams, and featuring regular matches between league has developed its own stars and legions of teams go head-to-head in the videogame which is teams on opposite sides of the world, such as followers who follow the tournament either virtu- shown on a giant overhead screen. Paris taking on Beijing. “That’s something which is ally or in person at live events. Launched in unique not only for eSport but for sport,” Nanzer January, the 12-team competition comprises fran- says. “There is not a sports league in the world chises representing three continents, with nine where you have that sort of global competition. It teams from the United States and one each from makes sense because Overwatch is a truly global Britain, China and South Korea. Being here, game. “The dream is not a one-off event in a big The league’s models are the major US profes- stadium. The dream is week-in week-out to have sional sports leagues such as the National Football I get it. You care millions fans around the world to have the oppor- League or the National Basketball Association, about the game tunity to engage with this content live. with a postseason culminating in a July 26-28 grand final where a $1 million prize will be up for Professional players grabs. “The business model for the Overwatch Unsurprisingly, the Overwatch League has League is no different than the business model for already attracted attention from the titans of the any sports league,” Nate Nanzer, the league’s In addition to the fans who crowd into the traditional US sports league. Robert Kraft, the bil- BURBANK: The New York Excelsior (L) and Shanghai Dragons play during Stage 3 of commissioner, told AFP. “We create content, we venue to watch live, hundreds of thousands of lionaire owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots, Overwatch League Inaugural Season videogame play at Blizzard Arena. — AFP put on matches, we put on 12 matches a week, we fans across the United States and the rest of the and Stan Kroenke, the tycoon whose sports fran- build an audience around those matches and we world watch the action unfold online via the chises include English Premier League side worth $3.5 million. His daily regime resembles that tics who question the ability of watching video monetize that audience through media rights, mer- Twitch social media video platform, anxiously fol- Arsenal, have reportedly spent around $20 million of a conventional athlete, with fitness exercises, games being able to appeal to a broad base. chandise, sponsorship, ticket sales, etc.” lowing the exploits of players with names like to create teams. At the sharp end of the competi- training and video analysis. Being healthy is part of “People ask me all the time, ‘Oh isn’t that crazy Overwatch itself is a first-person shooter video Verbo, sinatraa or Munchkin. tion are the players. Jacob Lyon, 21, who plays being a successful gamer, Lyon said. that people watch video games?’” he said. “I’m game which sees teams of six players battle rival “I never considered myself a sport person, I simply as “Jake” is one of 130 professional players “With the league structure, when you’re play- like, ‘Isn’t it crazy that people watch golf and ten- teams in a fast-paced, futuristic setting. The game am not a fan of traditional sports (...) I never got drawn from 18 nationalities who plays in the ing week on week on week, you have to be able nis?’ The reason why you watch those things is was developed by Blizzard Entertainment, the why everyone is so into sports,” said Alex Parrish, league. Lyon has signed a one-year contract guar- to be consistent and effective over a long period because you probably also play and you want to California-based company best known for creat- a fan from Houston, Texas. “Being here, I get it. anteeing him $50,000, with the potential for that of time,” he said. Nanzer, meanwhile, is convinced see who is the best in the world. It’s the same ing the “World of Warcraft” online phenomenon. You care about the game, the players, I under- to rise through prize money payments from a pool that eSports are here to stay, brushing off skep- thing here with eSports.” — AFP Drivers brace omy, and illegal wildlife trade has transformed for Egyptian The Internet: A with it,” said Rikkert Reijnen, director for wildlife crime at the US-based NGO. “All those who profit form wildlife crime have moved into ride-hailing laws dangerous place the online space.” Besides turtles, other sought- after reptiles on the black market include CAIRO: New legislation regulating ride-hail- snakes, lizards, and alligators. Owls, birds of ing services in Egypt may have been wel- for wild animals prey, toucans, cranes and other protected bird comed by Uber and competitor Careem, but PARIS: From ivory baubles and leopard coats species were also on the virtual bloc. some behind the wheel fear they could be The market for mammals is more varied, driven out of business. After various twists to rare turtles and live bears, the online market for protected wildlife is booming, according to ranging from body parts-rhino horns, cheetah and turns, including a ban on ride-sharing as and leopard furs, and a pair of coffee tables recently as March, Egyptian lawmakers an International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) investigation released yesterday. made from elephant legs-to a menagerie of pro- passed a bill in early May, pending approval tected species, trapped in the wild or raised in by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. The laws Experts from the NGO spent six weeks last year combing the Internet in four countries- captivity under doubtful conditions. “Of the will require drivers to pay 3,000 Egyptian many threats to our planet’s wildlife, the illegal pounds ($170, 140 euros) for a special license, Russia, France, Germany and Britain-for adver- tisements hawking endangered animals, trade of live animals and their body parts is one a huge outlay in a country where the average of the most inhumane,” said Reijnen. Most of the monthly salary is around $200 and many peo- CAIRO: An Uber employee (R) assists a driver at the company’s headquarters whether dead or alive, in pieces or whole. The haul was impressive: 11,772 individual live animals were on sale in Russia, including ple take multiple jobs to make ends meet. in the Egyptian capital. — AFP big cats, monkeys, lemurs and at least one bear. “It is too much for an Egyptian,” says articles or animals in 5,381 ads spread across 106 websites and social media platforms. Total IFAW praised the “precious work” and com- Khaled, who has been bolstering earnings UAE firm Careem, the new bill “sends out a centers. The ride-hailing market is enhancing mitment shown by major online peer-to-peer from teaching Arabic by working for Uber asking-price value? Just shy of $4 million (3.2 strong signal that Egypt continues to be open “investment, development and transport”, said million euros). More than four-fifths of the platforms such as e-Bay, which has trained its these past few months. “As soon as the law is for business and investment”. A couple of Mohamed Badawi, a businessman and Member personnel to join in the fight against illegal implemented, I will leave Uber,” he adds, since items were live animals, including a large share months ago, the firms feared that would no of Parliament’s transport committee. of marine and fresh-water turtles (45 percent), wildlife trafficking. But national regulations are 20 percent of each client’s payment goes to longer be the case. In March, a lawsuit brought Demand for the service in this country of lagging behind, especially for commerce on the the firm, making it hard to turn a profit. birds (24 percent) and mammals (5 percent), by conventional cab drivers saw a court ban around 100 million people is high, amid frus- the report said. internet, the reports said. As a general rule, sell- Another driver, Mohamed, 27, bought a car to ride-sharing. Uber and Careem appealed, tration with traditional taxi drivers, who ers-often connected to criminal organizations- work for the firm, so may invest in the licence, And while it is possible to sell and buy cer- securing a suspension of the ruling in April, sometimes refuse to turn on the air condition- tain endangered species with permits under the know they are breaking the law, but buyers but only if Uber guarantees earnings and pro- pending a verdict by a higher court.

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