Needless to say, 2020 has been a challenging year. The coronavirus pandemic forced the world into an almost complete shutdown. When the virus put a stop to all major sports leagues around the globe, esports kept the adrenaline rush of watching competitive sports going.
In esports like Counter-Strike: Global
Offensive, players continued to participate in tournaments even during the
growing global pandemic. Not being dependent on competing in person in a
stadium, CS:GO players could just compete from their own computers at home. Some
were allowed to play from their practice facilities along with their teammates
depending on the specific coronavirus restrictions for each country.
While LAN tournaments in Counter-Strike are
usually held in big arenas with thousands of fans watching live as the action
unfolds on stage, the entire CS:GO pro scene had to adapt to the changing
circumstances as well in order to continue to deliver an exciting experience
for fans. During a time when so many events and activities shifted from being
offline to online e.g. when personal meetings shifted to video calls,
tournament organizers started to produce a complex broadcast of online events on
Twitch for people watching from home.
They combined various video feeds and created a
sense of being close to the players and the game. Commentators and analysts
either broadcast live from their homes or from a studio, practicing social
distancing. Player cameras allowed fans to observe the reactions of their
favorite team during crucial moments in a game. Fans were able to interact with
the stream through “fan cams” that were shown throughout the match.
Although CS:GO teams are still not allowed to
raise a trophy in front of a cheering crowd after a grand final win, tournament
organizers are doing a great job of creating a thrilling experience for viewers
and of recreating the ecstasy of LAN events. By closing the gap between players
and fans, they kept the joy of watching sports alive.
While almost every other sport was affected by
stay-at-home orders or lockdowns, watching esports was and still is the perfect
solution for sports fans who couldn’t watch their favorite soccer team or tennis
player because sporting events had to be cancelled.
It is still unclear when LAN tournaments in
Counter-Strike will be back for good. The ESL One: Rio Major, one of the
biggest upcoming CS:GO events, was delayed indefinitely and is now slated for November
2021. Even though no one knows what the future holds during this pandemic,
esports has shown that it will continue to save the day for sports fans
everywhere.
