In the past few weeks, the world as we know it has been rapidly changing and it doesn’t seem to be stopping soon. It may sound overly dramatic or maybe even fictitious but the reality is that the way we live our lives has been greatly impacted by the widespread of the Coronavirus disease otherwise known as COVID-19. Sports, in general, have been hit hard with many leagues around the world being canceled or postponed in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus and yet e-sports is one of the things that’s still standing but not without some downsides.
For us, the fans things are not all bad, we can still make bets on the sport and watch it, I am personally excited for the NBA 2K20 Players-Only Tournament. This is obviously not real basketball but NBA 2K20 is the next best thing we can get at the moment.
While some minor leagues were already being played out online before COVID-19 started closing out airports and canceling massive events, most of the major leagues were actually played live in a venue full of fans every weekend and such is the example of League of Legends leagues across the world that have had to go into a remote format with players playing from home and on-air talent broadcasting from a webcam and streaming microphone. It’s crazy to see such high-level leagues being played out like this and yet it demonstrates an advantage of e-sports and an opportunity for sports fans and bettors to gain access to action they otherwise wouldn’t have.
Despite e-sports being able to be played out online, it isn’t without a downside that these leagues are now being played out online. Many e-sports professionals have been talking about the difference of playing remotely versus playing at the studios and such is the case of many professionals playing in the League of Legends Championship Series otherwise known as the LCS, the North American premier League of Legends competition. One of the major changes is the fact that the crowd just isn’t there which can heavily impact the performance of some teams. When the LCS takes place, teams usually set their mindset to dedicate their entire day to the competition, getting up, having something to eat, being picked up and heading to the studio, waiting inside the green rooms, chatting with each other before the match, going out into the studio, saying hi to fans, playing the match and so on. It’s not just that the ritual is taken away but how that mentally prepares the players to perform a certain way. If you have watched the LCS recently it’s easy to spot how games have been a bit more chaotic, what you would usually see in scrimmage or practice games.
While some of these changes affect the league right now, there are some more changes that will affect the league as this situation continues. For example, many teams field players from other countries that eventually may want to just go home to their families and loved ones. If so, some of these players may not be able to fly back home as flight restrictions continue to tighten up. Some of these players may not be giving their best to the league simply because they’re worried about getting sick or about how their family is holding up overseas. Very recently the French Canadian government asked it’s people living abroad to come back home and well if your government is asking you to do such a thing it’s natural for players trapped in Los Angeles to feel like they must act soon.
It’s not our intention to get overly gloomy or paranoid but this is the situation we are in and in the end it impacts the performance of the league. While e-sports are a sport that remains playable and that you will be able to watch and even bet on today, it may quickly change into a different sport and understanding this will help you make better decisions when looking for action on your next LCS, LPL or LEC match. Be smart, look up the player’s sentiment, understand the logistics of how each league and team during these teams of COVID-19 and make sure to play safe as in these times you most definitely want to do your research before wagering large amounts of money. Sportsbookreview.com is a great place to learn more about e-sports betting and how the COVID-19 situation has affected sports betting.
