Greetings, Idle Thumbs listeners!
We've just launched a new show on the Idle Thumbs network called Esports Today, and we wanted to take a moment to introduce ourselves and our mission with the show.
We are Andrew Groen, a former journalist at Wired and the Penny Arcade Report (currently working on a history book about EVE Online), and Rob Zacny, whom you know as the host of Three Moves Ahead but who has also been an esports journalist for a few years.
There are two major reasons we're starting Esports Today. First, if we're going to spend all our time watching esports and talking about them to each other, we might as well put that passion into something useful. Second, we think the existing esports landscape has a glaring absence: it offers almost nothing to the casual fan.
We're starting Esports Today because we believe there should be esports coverage that helps new people understand complex subjects and appreciate the hidden nuances of the games, rather than assuming everybody is a 10-year veteran of competitive gaming. We think you shouldn't be estranged from your favorite games just because you can't stay up until 4:30 AM watching a tournament final in Korea. Following esports shouldn't have to be a full-time job.
We're also allergic to scene drama. We think there's a way to enjoy esports by focusing on the art and science of professional gaming, and making it accessible to everyone. We love the strategy and high drama of a great competitive game, but we're intensely disinterested in the cult of personality that has developed around certain esports stars and the reality TV-style melodrama that often comes with that.
Finally, Esports Today is a work in progress. We're still working out our format, and we want to hear from you about features and segments you'd be interested in. We are launching this podcast because we sensed a need, but it will be up to you to help us find how we can best fulfill it. Send any and all feedback to [email protected].
Thanks for your time, and we hope you'll check out the show!
—Rob and Andrew













