New Threat To Traditional Sports Leagues: Millennials Prefer Watching eSports

Professional sports leagues "officially have a millennial problem," writes VentureBeat, citing some interesting findings from L.E.K. Consulting.
40% of millennials prefer watching esports to traditional sports26% of millennial eSports enthusiasts reported a significant uptick in eSports viewing over the past year61% of esports followers said they spent less time watching TV over the past 12 months, and 45% said they had cut back on traditional sports viewingTogether millennials -- ages 17-34 -- and Generation Z peers -- age 16 and under -- comprise 45% of America's consumer base

"At a certain point, this comes down to a new form of media better serving an upcoming generation of consumers," concludes VentureBeat. "Esports leagues are all online. Most matches stream for free on sites like Twitch. They are available on the web or through smartphone apps. Competitive gaming is easily accessible, and it lives where Millennials are already spending their time."

Maybe that's why Major League Baseball's video streaming company recently paid $300 million for the right to stream League of Legends through 2023.