This week fantasy sports hub DraftKings announced plans to launch dedicated eSports section next month an effort to capitalize on the rising attention (and money) generated by competitive game tournaments.
This is chiefly notable because it further validates competitive gameplay as a professional sport and evinces the growing mainstream visibility of eSports like Dota 2, Counter-Strike: GO and League of Legends.
These games and more will be featured on DraftKings’ upcoming “HUD” section, where users can draft a fantasy team of eSports players and compete against each other online for real money. Multiple eSports fantasy sports leagues have been operating in a similar fashion for some time, including Vulcun and Valve’s own Fantasy Dota.
DraftKings’ new section will roll out on October 1st to coincide with the start of Riot’s 2015 League of Legends World Championship Series, and as part of the rollout DraftKings is partnering with a handful of eSports teams to promote its service — much as it already does through partnerships with NFL and MLB teams like the Atlanta Braves and the Dallas Cowboys.
However, as Re/code points out, DraftKings is currently only accessible from the United States and Canada, whereas the majority of eSports revenue and excitement is drummed up in Asia.