The future of sports: Laid-back mascots, rap music and watching others play video games

A giant white squirrel, wearing blue jeans and a black jacket, leaned casually against a balcony railing at the Rebel nightclub on Toronto’s waterfront and took in the bizarre scene below him. On stage, a DJ was spinning tunes, hyping the growing crowd. In VIP booths on either side of the dance floor, favoured guests lounged, snacking on Doritos and Twizzlers. At the back, rows of video gamers hunched before computers playing the latest version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The same six letters repeated again and again on screens around the club: CODXTO, signifying the launch of a new Call of Duty esports team called Toronto Ultra. Read More