Pro-gaming, which has been around for about nine years, is finally coming into its own. I spent time last month talking to some of the major players in eSports for a story on the current state of pro-gaming and the sudden surge of leagues.

The story ran today in the Rocky and includes interviews with the CPL's Angel Munoz, Ubisoft, Lil Poison's dad, the Frag Dolls, the general manager of DirecTV and the veep of pro-gaming site GotFrag.

I also wrote a sidebar about the art of video game color commentating.

The story's running today because DirecTV's mega pro-gaming invitational airs on their network today. The event was produced by 11-time Emmy Award winner Mike Burks and featured 17 high-def cameras.

DirecTV's latest sports special was produced by 11-time Emmy Award winner Mike Burks, included 17 high-definition cameras and featured $200,000 in prize money and hours of gunplay, car crashes and martial arts death matches. Filmed in a 16,000-square-foot arena built in an old hangar at the former Treasure Island Naval Base in San Francisco, the Championship Gaming Invitational is DirecTV's explosive entry into the burgeoning world of pro gaming and further proof that the once-obscure livelihood of video gaming is coming into its own. "It's been the perfect storm coming for the past 24 months," said Steven Roberts, vice president and general manager of DirecTV. "The state of the (game) industry, the state of gaming and the technology are all there."

Roberts goes on to say that they expect it to take years, like five to eight of them, before their pro-gaming league attains to the status of something like NASCAR, but that they are committed to the long-term investment. I ended up with way, way, way too much information and not nearly enough space, but I think the story does a good job of introducing the concept of pro-gaming to the uninitiated. Brian Crecente

Pro-Gaming Blows Up, Pro-Gaming Gets Color and A Few Leagues of Their Own

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