'Pro' Video Gaming Coming to TV

Major League Gaming, the world's largest professional video gaming organization, said Monday it had signed a programming deal with USA Network to produce seven one-hour episodes featuring competitions between its members.

The episodes would air during the holiday season, typically a key period in video game and console sales. It is the first time that fans would be able to watch tournaments on a regular basis, said the group. While networks like G4 may have done similar programming, usually those shows are relegated to the highlights.

"MLG is now on the threshold of truly breaking through to the mass market," the league's co-founder and CEO Mike Sepso said in a statement. "The time is right for a full fledged sports media business dedicated solely to creating the next major league sport in America."

League executives are likening MLG's rise to that of professional poker in the past few years, or the dramatic increase in popularity of NASCAR over the past decade. Both sports benefited from increased television exposure.

Programming would mirror that of any other professional league, complete with commentary and player profiles. Gamers would face off on television playing such games as "Halo 2" for Xbox and "Super Smash Bros. Melee" on Nintendo, says the group.

The winnings can be lucrative -- some of the best players make hundreds of thousands a year just by playing games. Tournaments can also draw thousands of spectators, both in the venue and through online rebroadcasts, MLG claims.

MLG says that its television strategy would help both the league and the sport in general, by attracting more big-name sponsors and increasing its visibility.