Inside ESPN's exit from esports, layoffs, and what it means for media - Business Insider

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Inside ESPN's abrupt shutdown of dedicated esports coverage, which insiders said was 'shocking' but stemmed from business problems beyond the pandemic

And while ESPN Esports has attracted around 62,000 subscribers on YouTube to date, The Score'sStill, while ESPN's YouTube subscriber numbers have lagged, some industry professionals noted that its coverage of esports has lent credibility to a category that has at times"It was really important for esports as a whole to have that credibility and validation from a publication like ESPN," said Cody Hock, cofounder at Up North Management Group, an upstart talent agency focused on...

While the unit launched under former ESPN chairman John Skipper, it became an even bigger priority under current boss Jimmy Pitaro, who took on the top ESPN job in 2018. In his initial address to staffers, Pitaro said esports along with sports betting were two big growth opportunities he wanted to focus on.

ESPN's esports team, which had about six people at the end of its first year, expanded to roughly 14 — including editors, video producers, talent — and worked with a network of freelancers. Writers including Tyler Erzberger, Jacob Wolf, and Emily Rand amassed larger followings on their beats, with Erzberger surpassing 120,000 followers on his Twitter account @FionnOnFire.

Yahoo, another large player in sports media, also tried to win over esports audiences by hiring well-known experts like Travis Gafford and Taylor Cocke as the faces of its esports vertical. But it"People have tried and people have failed," the former staffer said. "ESPN is just the latest in the long line."told The Minds of Media YouTube host Blake Panasiewicz

 

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