I’m a few days late to reply so hopefully you are feeling much better by now. I had Covid three and a half weeks ago and I am still coughing like crazy. Feel fine otherwise, but the cough just won’t go away. Hopefully, yours doesn’t last this long. Definitely rest until you feel 100%
Thanks, Randy! Yes, the cough is catching me. Just when I think I am over it, I will catch myself laughing at a segment ... and that launches an hour and half long coughing spasm. My sister suggests Wim Hof breathing. Let me know if you need links.
I think eSports (at least in LoL), is very much like Hollywood. Very few make it big, perhaps even fewer. There are only 10 teams in the League, each has a 5-man roster (for each of the five roles). Then each team also runs an academy team. So all in all you have about 100-150 salaried professional players.
The age in the industry is skewed towards teens / early adults. Pros enter a team when they’re 17 (minimum age). 24 is considered “old” and most people retire by then.
Streaming on Twitch is an alternative route. There are about 2,500 streamers, and I’d estimate that only the top 10-20 can make a living off streaming. $$ is earned through donations, subscriptions, and sponsorships. Many top streamers are ex-pros, and almost all are highly ranked.
If you’re not in the top 0.01% ranked, then streaming or pro is not a viable path. You might pursue “Boosting”, which means you help people level up accounts. Players will pay you to rank up their account. This is technically illegal, and sanctioned by Riot Games, but some are willing to take the the risk.
Outside of that, you have “betting”, similar to sports betting or horse racing. But this is also illegal, with no infrastructure to support, and more popular in Asian countries (eg. China).
Riot Games is also investing into High School / Collegiate teams. At my school there was one (student-run, not sponsored by Riot). Usually tournaments self-organized between schools, and you’d earn minor cash prizes ( like Fantasy Football). Interesting to see this development.
For eSports to be a viable career option for the masses, you’d need a different economic model. That’s why NFTs and digital assets are so interesting. Because you can collect items through in-game progress and then trade them on a marketplace.
Interesting - I notice I cannot like the comments below the comment!
Thanks for introducing me to, and expanding my knowledge of this alternate universe, Leo. I know you have been linked with esports teams in various capacities for a long time and have much actual experience and insight to share.
Note: When I said 10 teams, I meant in the North America region (US + Canada). Most regions (eg. Brazil, Europe, Korea, Japan, Oceania) have 8-10 teams, with China having 17.
Also interesting to note — since LoL is such a new industry (~13 years old), there is no set path post-retirement. The oldest pro player is only ~30. Many people return to traditional jobs or go back to school. A few become streamers or coaches.
Salaries used to be notoriously low (5-figures) but now they’ve risen to $150-200k base. A few superstars have Million-dollar contracts but these are outliers, not the norm.
Oh no!! Happy to hear you're taking care of yourself, it sounds like it's been a rough time. But I hope you're feeling much better! Making note of that ginger coffee.🤔
I feel like I am coming out of it, Sandra. But my sister who is an epidemiologist cautions to recover fully as there is a lot of conversation around the impact of long Covid.
Glad to hear you are feeling better and get well soon <3
What a great perspective and another win(!) for learning through gaming. So many strategies and problem solving skills emerge through this consumption and positive use of technology.
I was exposed to the world of esports when I lived in Seoul and taught English at the League of Legends HQ and then I lived next door to an esports area in Taiwan. The comparison to the SuperBowl is spot on!
Start with less than a 1/4 tsp if you are using powder. If you like ginger, you may like the undercurrent of warmth it adds. I usually keep my ginger root in the freezer, then grate a palmful into my coffee for cold winter mornings. Or when I have a sore throat.
Hi Karena. I am so sorry for the Covid hit. I never got one but I think as long as you rest, have plenty of drinks and nutritious food, you are on the right track to recovery. It’s good you don’t overburden your body. It takes time to gain its strength back. I heard from people who got Covid that lamb shank and it’s stock is very nutritious and helps to recover from Covid. I hope you get well as fast as possible.
I don’t know much about esport. Just heard that some people are so addicted to it that they wear diaper so they don’t have to leave their seats. It seems crazy. With all the benefits you mentioned, I want my kids to stay away from it as much as possible . I think it’s so easy to get addicted to it.
Thank you, Banafsheh, for the support and the suggestions.
The eSports conversation is very interesting. Like it was a different world. And the path to addiction is real, so I needed to include Elaine's book in that list.
Hey hey hey... Stay well and get well soon, K. Rest well. It's a darned strong virus and literally knocks (the air out of you) / you out. Remember to stay hydrated and rest as much as you can. That's required. All the best.... Lotta folk getting it now. Friends etc here too. Yes it is going around and will be here for a long-long time. Gotta learn to beat it and also ensure no lasting or after effects remain. That's a bit concerning. Light, bland, nutritious and easily digestible meals, when your appetite's back help to recover quickly too. It hasn't got to me yet. But then I'm a bit crazy - so well... Currently nursing my big doggy back to health after a serious illness etc. So yeah - playing nurse here too.
Sorry to hear about your dog, Ricky. Thanks for the support. I keep getting messages from my Mum to "Rest. Rest. Rest." Guess we never really grow older to them!
Stay healthy. All that wonderful fresh air must being doing you good.
Thanx K. Got him over the worst and out of it and he's on the road to recovery now.... So that's good. I think it's my bull-headedness. Dunno. But I'm that way. Never give up - even when all the Vet friends here etc almost had him pronounced a goner.
Yes to our parents we're always kids. My mum used to always check that I'd eaten properly, etc when I was past 45 years old... ;-)
And yes the fresh air sure helps. My doggy and me. Both of us. He too; 2 days home after major abdominal surgery and then he was insisting he wanted to go up on his hill walks again. Albeit slowly - but yeah - nothing to beat fresh air....
Stay well and get well soon. Make sure you do rest. That virus is tough. Seen it knock strong friends to the floor... For weeks sometimes. Rest and diet. That's it. You'll be fine soon.
salt water gargle
lots of blankets
floor space to toss said blankets on the floor
will to pick those blankets up again
https://theherbdepot.ca/products/lianhua-qingwen-capsules (NOT a covid cure by any means, just supportive for recovery and symptomatic relief)
wishing you a speedy recovery!!
Salt water gargles! Did one the first day, but need to get back to that.
Thanks, Christin. I'm imagining the mound of blankets on your floor!
I also did one the first day and then wasn't consistent about it, and my most lingering symptom was the sore throat...lesson learned!
I’m a few days late to reply so hopefully you are feeling much better by now. I had Covid three and a half weeks ago and I am still coughing like crazy. Feel fine otherwise, but the cough just won’t go away. Hopefully, yours doesn’t last this long. Definitely rest until you feel 100%
Thanks, Randy! Yes, the cough is catching me. Just when I think I am over it, I will catch myself laughing at a segment ... and that launches an hour and half long coughing spasm. My sister suggests Wim Hof breathing. Let me know if you need links.
If you have them I'll def take a look. Anything to help with this stupid cough
Randy - wishing you all better, soon. Today's discovery is waking with blocked ears!
Here are a selection of solutions sent in. Take your pick:
- Rub vicks on the soles of your feet (sleep with socks on!)
- If you have access to a prescribed puffer, it may help open the airwaves
- This was the intro to Wim Hof breathing. It increases in complexity if you are interested:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=tybOi4hjZFQ
Hope you’re feeling better !
I think eSports (at least in LoL), is very much like Hollywood. Very few make it big, perhaps even fewer. There are only 10 teams in the League, each has a 5-man roster (for each of the five roles). Then each team also runs an academy team. So all in all you have about 100-150 salaried professional players.
The age in the industry is skewed towards teens / early adults. Pros enter a team when they’re 17 (minimum age). 24 is considered “old” and most people retire by then.
Streaming on Twitch is an alternative route. There are about 2,500 streamers, and I’d estimate that only the top 10-20 can make a living off streaming. $$ is earned through donations, subscriptions, and sponsorships. Many top streamers are ex-pros, and almost all are highly ranked.
If you’re not in the top 0.01% ranked, then streaming or pro is not a viable path. You might pursue “Boosting”, which means you help people level up accounts. Players will pay you to rank up their account. This is technically illegal, and sanctioned by Riot Games, but some are willing to take the the risk.
Outside of that, you have “betting”, similar to sports betting or horse racing. But this is also illegal, with no infrastructure to support, and more popular in Asian countries (eg. China).
Riot Games is also investing into High School / Collegiate teams. At my school there was one (student-run, not sponsored by Riot). Usually tournaments self-organized between schools, and you’d earn minor cash prizes ( like Fantasy Football). Interesting to see this development.
For eSports to be a viable career option for the masses, you’d need a different economic model. That’s why NFTs and digital assets are so interesting. Because you can collect items through in-game progress and then trade them on a marketplace.
Interesting - I notice I cannot like the comments below the comment!
Thanks for introducing me to, and expanding my knowledge of this alternate universe, Leo. I know you have been linked with esports teams in various capacities for a long time and have much actual experience and insight to share.
Note: When I said 10 teams, I meant in the North America region (US + Canada). Most regions (eg. Brazil, Europe, Korea, Japan, Oceania) have 8-10 teams, with China having 17.
Also interesting to note — since LoL is such a new industry (~13 years old), there is no set path post-retirement. The oldest pro player is only ~30. Many people return to traditional jobs or go back to school. A few become streamers or coaches.
Salaries used to be notoriously low (5-figures) but now they’ve risen to $150-200k base. A few superstars have Million-dollar contracts but these are outliers, not the norm.
Oh no!! Happy to hear you're taking care of yourself, it sounds like it's been a rough time. But I hope you're feeling much better! Making note of that ginger coffee.🤔
I feel like I am coming out of it, Sandra. But my sister who is an epidemiologist cautions to recover fully as there is a lot of conversation around the impact of long Covid.
Oh definitely. That makes sense, Karena! Glad you're feeling better. Take care of yourself and stay safe out there! :)
Glad to hear you are feeling better and get well soon <3
What a great perspective and another win(!) for learning through gaming. So many strategies and problem solving skills emerge through this consumption and positive use of technology.
I was exposed to the world of esports when I lived in Seoul and taught English at the League of Legends HQ and then I lived next door to an esports area in Taiwan. The comparison to the SuperBowl is spot on!
OK. Now that is flexing!
Hope you get to 100% soon Karena! The e-sport tournaments that Jaime joins here is not at that scale yet! Maybe later :)
Blame Leo for dragging me into your world, Laila! We need a 1:1. I miss you.
Glad you’re feeling better-ish. Ginger in coffee? Do I need to try this?!
Start with less than a 1/4 tsp if you are using powder. If you like ginger, you may like the undercurrent of warmth it adds. I usually keep my ginger root in the freezer, then grate a palmful into my coffee for cold winter mornings. Or when I have a sore throat.
Let me know!
Hi Karena. I am so sorry for the Covid hit. I never got one but I think as long as you rest, have plenty of drinks and nutritious food, you are on the right track to recovery. It’s good you don’t overburden your body. It takes time to gain its strength back. I heard from people who got Covid that lamb shank and it’s stock is very nutritious and helps to recover from Covid. I hope you get well as fast as possible.
I don’t know much about esport. Just heard that some people are so addicted to it that they wear diaper so they don’t have to leave their seats. It seems crazy. With all the benefits you mentioned, I want my kids to stay away from it as much as possible . I think it’s so easy to get addicted to it.
Thank you, Banafsheh, for the support and the suggestions.
The eSports conversation is very interesting. Like it was a different world. And the path to addiction is real, so I needed to include Elaine's book in that list.
Hey hey hey... Stay well and get well soon, K. Rest well. It's a darned strong virus and literally knocks (the air out of you) / you out. Remember to stay hydrated and rest as much as you can. That's required. All the best.... Lotta folk getting it now. Friends etc here too. Yes it is going around and will be here for a long-long time. Gotta learn to beat it and also ensure no lasting or after effects remain. That's a bit concerning. Light, bland, nutritious and easily digestible meals, when your appetite's back help to recover quickly too. It hasn't got to me yet. But then I'm a bit crazy - so well... Currently nursing my big doggy back to health after a serious illness etc. So yeah - playing nurse here too.
Sorry to hear about your dog, Ricky. Thanks for the support. I keep getting messages from my Mum to "Rest. Rest. Rest." Guess we never really grow older to them!
Stay healthy. All that wonderful fresh air must being doing you good.
Thanx K. Got him over the worst and out of it and he's on the road to recovery now.... So that's good. I think it's my bull-headedness. Dunno. But I'm that way. Never give up - even when all the Vet friends here etc almost had him pronounced a goner.
Yes to our parents we're always kids. My mum used to always check that I'd eaten properly, etc when I was past 45 years old... ;-)
And yes the fresh air sure helps. My doggy and me. Both of us. He too; 2 days home after major abdominal surgery and then he was insisting he wanted to go up on his hill walks again. Albeit slowly - but yeah - nothing to beat fresh air....
Stay well and get well soon. Make sure you do rest. That virus is tough. Seen it knock strong friends to the floor... For weeks sometimes. Rest and diet. That's it. You'll be fine soon.