Disney XD – Clash of Karts: Mario Kart 8

“Clash of Karts: Mario Kart 8” is a one-hour long show scheduled to be aired on December 5 at 8 p.m. on Disney XD. Filmed live at the Nintendo World Championships 2015 event in June, Disney XD’s program followed 16 competitors as they competed for top honors in Super Metroid, Splatoon, Super Mario Maker, and other Nintendo-published games.

Esports are insanely popular right now, with multiple tournaments selling out huge arenas and drawing massive TV audiences.

Disney XD exec Marc Buhaj told Fortune that “there’s a real nice sense of camaraderie in the gaming community and it’s important to acknowledge that”. October’s Nintendo World Championships 2015 that was featured in Disney XD was a huge success, according to Fortune.

The eSports scene continues to grow and more are wanting a slice of the pie. But competitions like this serve as a potential entry point into a wider and younger audience of video game players. Disney XD, for example, recently renewed Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything for a second season after it proved a hit with young boys.

“Esports is something that’s blossoming, but it’s still early days”, says Gamestop in an interview with Disney representative Buhaj. Hell, ESPN just hired a gaming reporter for their network, so eSports must really be taking off.

Are you interested in programs like this Mario Kart competition TV show?

Fans also see this as Nintendo action to further expand its eSports reach.