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SPORTS Tuesday 23 OcTOber 2018

In this Sept. 18, 2008, file photo, United States team captain
Paul Azinger waves to spectators while speaking at the Ryder
Cup opening ceremonies at the Valhalla Golf Club, in Louis-
ville, Ky.
Associated Press

Continued from Page 17 Fox hired him in 2016 to
Nick Faldo is the lead an- replace Greg Norman as
alyst for CBS Sports, which lead analyst for the U.S.
has the Masters and PGA Open.And now he takes
Championship and the over for Miller, who be-
majority of network cover- came famous for saying n this Sept. 23, 2014, file photo, Robert Morris University Illinois freshmen, from left, Sondra Burrows,
age of the PGA Tour with what he thought without Brian Rodonis and Alex Chapman practice playing the video game "League of Legends" with
17 other events. Azinger a filter, even if it was of- their collegiate teammates at their on-campus training facility in Chicago.
will have the U.S. Open fensive to the players. Associated Press
ships (Mexico and Match golf coverage have been League of Legends eyes U.S.
and British Open, two "For nearly three decades,
World Golf Champion-
fans tuning into NBC Sports'
Play), The Players Champi- accustomed to a lead
onship along with the rest analyst that told it like it boost with 'Esports 101' show
of the Florida swing lead- was, and that mantra will
ing up to the Masters, the continue with Paul Azing-
final two FedEx Cup play- er," said Molly Solomon, By JAKE SEINER slumped a bit. TBS might help encourage
off events, the Ryder Cup executive vice president AP Sports Writer "We're trying to find ways to curious teens to give the
every other year and the of content for Golf Chan- NEW YORK (AP) — Esports demonstrate that League free computer game a try
Olympics every four years. nel. "Following Johnny Mill- fans are gathering by the is still here, League is still a — and generate some in-
Azinger called it the "role er is a tall order. However, thousands in South Korea great game to play," said terest ahead of the Nov. 3
of a lifetime." we're confident in Paul's this month to watch the Chris Hopper, Riot's North world championship final in
"My wife always said I was ability to serve our view- world's top League of Leg- American head of esports. Incheon, South Korea.
good at two things — ers with candor and sharp ends players show off their "Our esport is incredibly The show will focus on the
playing golf and flapping insight."Roy described Az- skill and expertise. competitive and has a lot game itself, plus the culture
your gums," Azinger said. inger as "one of the most In the United States, the to add to anyone who and history surrounding it.
Azinger made his broad- perceptive minds in golf." game's publisher is hop- wants a deeper experi- The show will air at 11 p.m.,
casting debut with NBC "His innate ability to dis- ing to draw a more casual ence out of their game or which Hopper believes is
Sports and golf producer sect the action in front of crowd by starting with an esport of choice. For us, this a good time for the target
Tommy Roy in 1995 when him and convey it to the important question: What is piece fits right into that." audience of college and
he was recovering from viewer in such a concise, League of Legends? The game's professional high school students. The
cancer in his left shoulder assured manner is what TBS will air a one-hour "Es- ranks have always been program eventually will be
and helped out the NBC we value most across our ports 101" special about dominated by Asian clubs. available on Twitch, Ama-
broadcast of the 1995 Ry- tournament broadcast the world's most-played PC Two Asian teams have met zon's online streaming plat-
der Cup at Oak Hill. team," Roy said. video game Friday night in in every world champion- form that has much of the
During highlights of his Miller was so good for so conjunction with League ship final since the tourna- world's top esports content.
1993 match against Nick long in the booth that a of Legends developer Riot ment began in 2012, with Esports fans are accus-
Faldo that ended in a younger generation of Games. Turner Sports is South Korean franchises tomed to using Twitch for
draw, Azinger quipped, viewers had reason to publicizing the production winning all but one of those gaming content, but game
"I had cancer and he still overlook his Hall of Fame as a "lighthearted, acces- titles. developers and televi-
couldn't beat me." career if not for Miller re- sible introduction" to the No team from North Amer- sion networks are eager to
Azinger and Faldo, op- minding them. He was game, which boasts 14 ica has ever advanced bring some programming
posing captains in 2008 the first player to shoot 63 professional leagues and beyond the quarterfinals, to more traditional outlets.
at Valhalla, were part of in the final round to win a over 850 salaried athletes though Cloud9 could be- Craig Barry, the chief con-
a successful experiment major (1973 U.S. Open at worldwide. come the first this week- tent officer at Turner Sports,
when Mark Loomis picked Oakmont) and he won The show is part of an ef- end. calls esports a "monster
them to be dual analysts the 1976 British Open fort by Riot to increase the North American team own- niche" and thinks TBS can
in the 18th tower for ABC among his 25 victories on game's presence in Amer- ers identified the U.S. ama- play a role in its growing
in 2005. ABC was not part the PGA Tour. ica. League of Legends, a teur system as a concern ecosystem. TBS' ELEAGUE
of the tour's network cov- Azinger had 12 wins on fantasy-based multiplayer when they met this summer, programming has included
erage under the next TV the PGA Tour, including online battle arena game, especially at the lowest lev- popular games like Coun-
contract, and Azinger the 1993 PGA Champion- has been the world's most els. Part of addressing that ter-Strike, Street Fighter and
mostly did the British Open ship that he won in a play- popular esport since its in- includes attracting more Overwatch, but this will
for ESPN. off over Norman. q troduction in 2009. But inter- young players. Airing an in- be its first production with
est in the U.S. has recently troduction to the game on League of Legends.q