There is no doubt, by now: 2020 will be the year of electronic sports, in Italy too, for the newspaper eSportsMag. Indeed, especially in Italy, because it is here that there could be the greatest developments in terms of entertainment and, above all, of regulation.
Of course, we know it well, the ultimately "explosion" of the phenomenon has been awaited for some time, as well as its effective regulation, which seems to have to pass through its affirmation as a real sport, perhaps through the formal recognition by the Coni. But this is precisely the point: after several months of work, negotiations and meetings, also at international level, now the moment of squaring the circle seems finally to come. With the new year that looks just like the season of actual turning point for esports.
Not only from the point of view of "show business" and, therefore, of competitions, where in any case important developments are expected: starting from the highly anticipated series of events promoted (and promised) by the
Football League with the
A eSeries, together with the "traditional"
football Serie A, which will culminate in a flagship event at the end of the season, probably during the Coppa Italia final. While there should also be developments on the second division series, with the B Series league that has promised developments, continuing to study the matter.
This time, the major developments are expected at the regulatory level. With 2020 that promises to be just like that of the definitive consecration of electronic sports as a formally recognized sport. With the green light that will have to directly come from Lausanne, with an announcement by the International Olympic Committee that will start the individual national federations and the task of establishing the federations dedicated to electronic sports in each country, paving the way for the entry of the new sport in the Olympic games, which will arrive in the American edition of Los Angeles 2028. While in Paris, in 2024, we will only see some anticipation, in terms of pure entertainment, with collateral events that will accompany the French Olympics, just to explain to the masses what esports really represent.
However, the official announcement or, in any case, the first step or input from the Ioc will only arrive in the summer: that is, at the end of the 2020 Tokyo games, considering impropring to introduce developments of this kind on the eve of a decisive competition for Asian sport and in that same Continent where esports represent a more than consolidated and widespread reality. Once the Asian games will be ended, however, the Ioc will be able to pave the way for electronic sports, thus inviting the various national federations to organize themselves in view of the Great Change which will probably culminate in Los Angeles: that is, in that California which has always been the cradle of technological innovation and (guess what) home of many videogame multinational corporations.
If this will be the scenario that opens up to the future of esports, as reliable institutional sources reveal to us, then we will have to wait a little longer before seeing in writing the final recognition of esports in the professional and Olympic field: but the preliminary work will begin already in the coming months. And besides, they have already started, as we have been writing for a few months now, revealing the movements that are hidden in the Roman Palaces of Sport. What is sure is that there will be nothing final before the green light of the Ioc arrives and its final indication: but the logic is to be ready for an imminent change and on this basis the representatives of the Coni and ont only them are moving.
Looking within the individual federations, in fact, there is a lot of ongoing work of approaching videogames: not only in football, but also in other sports. Just look at the Tekwondo Federation - which has always been particularly active and sensitive to the subject of esports - which has already adopted "its" official videogame at international level. And then, the players will have to get ready for the future. Together with all the stackeholders who already are the ecosystem of esports, who will be called to intervene, in one way or another, in the new sector.