Fort Worth Star-Telegram - NASCAR is going racing again. Well, virtually, at least. With the sports world on pause amid the coronavirus pandemic, leagues such as NASCAR are finding new avenues to reach fans. Esports is a natural avenue given the current crisis that recommends social distancing, leading to NASCAR creating the iRacing Pro Invitational Series.
Megan Condis, who serves as the faculty advisor for Texas Tech's esports recreational sports club, has seen an increase in esports enthusiasts in recent years. She feels it's an easy decision for sports leagues such as NASCAR to pursue this type of virtual competition.
“I think very soon people are going to be itching for programming that isn't pre-scripted and pre-taped,” Condis said. “People have already watched everything they've wanted to on Netflix or Hulu. They'll want something that's live and in-the-moment and competitive.
“And watching people play video games has always been around. Even at the arcades, you'd be watching someone play Pac-Man until it was your turn. That's always been around.”