For South Korea, Host of League of Legends Championship, E-Sports Is National Pastime - NYTimes.com

"Time and again, South Korea has provided glimpses of technology-related transformations before they expand globally, including widespread broadband availability and smartphone adoption. The country has also led in professional video game competitions, often called e-sports, creating organized leagues, training well-financed professional teams and filling giant stadiums with frenzied fans to cheer on their favorite players.

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A video game tournament in Seattle in July. Pro gaming, called e-sports, is becoming a lucrative worldwide spectator sport.
Power Up: In E-Sports, Video Gamers Draw Real Crowds and Big Money
AUG. 30, 2014
The Summoner’s Cup awaited the top team at the League of Legends World Championships, which are being held this month before cheering crowds in Busan, South Korea.
Power Up: Behind League of Legends, E-Sports’s Main Attraction
OCT. 10, 2014
Such excitement was on display in Seoul on Sunday, when more than 40,000 fans filled the outdoor soccer stadium used for the 2002 World Cup semifinal to watch the world championship for League of Legends, one of the world’s most popular games."