The hottest sports ticket in Asia-Pacific right now isn¡¯t for a soccer match, an NBA exhibition game or even a swim meet. It is for the medal event debut of competitive video gaming, or esports.
The milestone moment is taking place at the quadrennial Asian Games ¡ª sometimes referred to as an ¡°Asian Olympics.¡± Leading up to the games, at least 5 million people applied for the right to buy a pricey ticket to the futuristic purpose-built esports arena in Hangzhou, China, the host city. No other event, from basketball to table tennis, had near the demand, much less a ticket lottery.
But so far, the Olympics, the world¡¯s preeminent sporting competition, has no intention of following Asia¡¯s lead. That¡¯s a mistake. With hundreds of millions of fans and players, esports can bring a desperately needed infusion of youth, cultural relevance and money to the lagging and scandal-plagued Olympics.
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