Media, Issues and Esports - An opinionated dive.
To whom it may interest,
I read a month ago about how the changing of media over the ages has impacted how we think and experience life. The condense-ification of stories from hours to minutes to mere seconds, really distorts and skews how we understand things.
I feel like this is something that has a profound effect on esports, being born more than halfway through this shortening, in an industry that is perpetually and rapidly moving forward.
Fans want as simple of an explanation for complex issues as possible, expecting one clear solution to be voiced... Meanwhile, organizations, teams, and coaches never want to appear riddled with issues and weaknesses. Issues and their solutions, that will never get publicized or addressed, unlike traditional sports, where older media has captured the perspectives of each level, through documentaries, memoirs, biographies, etc. At the team level I've documented thousands of issues across 8 years of tier 1 esports development, every growing pain and conflict, initially designed to be a library to look back on when similar issues arise and remember the solutions that worked... but it's all internal.
Slight Aside:
Maybe, it's because of the limited support staff/expectation for a coach to be a jack of all trades (leadership coaching, performance/mental/strategic/analytical coaching/parenting) that these issues arise. Maybe, it's the lack of strong management, to not just go for the quickest and easiest option for short term gain, but the choice that provides uniform direction while building a good early baseline. Maybe, it's the rapid changes when immediate success isn't given. Maybe, they don't have control, with orgs either micromanaging every decision or the team isn't built around them but around a player that doesn't match their identity. Maybe it's an excuse. Maybe, coaches don't spend enough time building their own workflow. Maybe, they aren't as adjusting or adaptive as they need to be to meet their team and organization's needs. Maybe, it's all, some or none of this.
Combine this systemic instability with game specific issues: Constantly changing METAs, 5-9 maps on most tactical esports, players balancing the addition of 20-180 playable characters with a variety of combined abilities, utility lineups and strategy diversity, intrapersonal issues, health or dozens of other targetable issues, and you have a recipe for short team lifespan.
The esports industry pushes this pressure onto as few individuals as possible, with nothing but expectations of more. Mixed with changing ecosystems, being whipped around and lashed for failure to provide under impossible circumstances, makes it easy to recoil. To stop communicating, to become sensitive to conflicting perspectives.
I've always believed that poor communication leads to a disconnect at every level. Your work, relationships and every part of your life comes down to how you learn to communicate. As I age (26 years young), I yearn for communication that isn't there. I yearn for discussion on mediums where it doesn't matter who has more understanding or who is trying to provide a different perspective, but rather who is loudest or who is more emotional in their response. To build your medium is to build an echo chamber to some extent.
When I was with TSM R6/Val, I tried and tried to communicate with a smaller, more targeted audience (TSM fan Discord) to answer questions, explain decisions and expectations. Most of the time, if it yielded good discussion, it was easy to maintain. It also had the added benefit of fan engagement that dulled the blows each loss had, as more people with slightly more insight could spread it to nullify some of the toxicity in the community. I've gone from a silent individual for days on end desiring to understand every complexity of a problem, to someone who wishes for not only understand but also the ability help bridge other people's understanding and lead them to the "why" of a situation. But for anyone, 280 characters isn't enough to be in-depth and encompassing.
Someday, I hope I'll find the right medium for me. A medium with a balance of perspective, that allows for others to understand my drive and intent with every project I work on. A medium to fill the natural ignorance that comes with supporting a team, without understanding every moving part. But maybe, with the correct structure, the existing mediums are workable. Is it possible to tank through angry esports betters, hindsight/top down analysts, overzealous fans and anti-fans? I guess all I can do to test this is to try. If you have any ideas or critique that may help me with this problem, my DMs are always open.
I appreciate the time you've taken to read my potentially borderline ADHD ramble. Until next time.
Yours Truly,
Daeda