eSports Finally Come to Disney XD

You read that correctly. For the first time this year, Disney will host Top 8s of both Street Fighter V and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U at EVO 2017 on Disney XD. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen eSports on TV. In 2015, ESPN hosted the Dota 2 International on their channel.

While it’s not the first time we’ve seen eSports on TV, it is the first time that Disney channel has put it on one of its hallmarks. Aimed at a young teenage audience, Disney XD is generally the TV channel we think of when it comes to the demographic that gravitates towards Minecraft. (More on that in another post, though.)

via My Nintendo News

After all, this demographic is already watching eSports on the Internet. There’s no shortage of teens competing in local tournaments, either. In all, this move on Disney’s part just seems to be a way to sensationalize eSports players. For the long run, it’ll expose eSports to a mainstream audience and give kids people to look up to, no matter their talents.

In my opinion, it’s good to see Disney branching out from making everything they put on their network into a forced pop singer. It’s a huge improvement, if you ask me.

 

Cover image via smash.gg.