If you haven’t heard already, the 2014 DotA 2 International is the largest eSports prize pool ever, beating even previous years of the International. And this year is the first year that the International will be shown on ESPN, a channel devoted to traditional sports.
So how does the International fare as far as the prizes of some of the most well known and established sporting tournaments of today? 
As of writing this article, the International’s prize pool has reached a staggering $10.9 million, mostly courtesy of fan contributions. With that, it has surpassed some major international sporting events, including the Masters, the Superbowl, the Tour de France, the Kentucky Derby, and the Boston Marathon.
The only event that the DotA 2 International has not yet surpassed is the Indy 500, which gives out a staggering $14.23 million. However, there is a higher monetary barrier of entry for the Indy 500: you have to own a professional grade vehicle, have a pit crew, etc. While some of that is covered by sponsors, it is much cheaper to participate in DotA 2. Fear, before the second International, was living with his mother according to Valve documentary “Free to Play.” You don’t hear the same thing about Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Jeff Gordon.
