Mike Snider

USA TODAY

Twitch grew out of Justin.tv in 2011

Major League Gaming launched MLG.tv in November 2013

Both outlets have seen video game viewership skyrocket

Everybody knows that video games have mushroomed into mainstream pop culture. The most recent example is the millions of consumers who spent $400 to $500 — a collective $3 billion-plus — over the last three months to buy the latest game systems from Microsoft and Sony.

Not as well-known is that video games are so popular that they've become spectator sports drawing millions of viewers to online sites. Cord cutters interested in diversifying their viewing portfolio can check out two services leading the way: Twitch and MLG.tv.

Each deploys a different programming strategy. MLG aims to be the ESPN of video games and eSports, as organized video competitions are called. Twitch broadcasts eSports competitions, too, but has also evolved into an all-purpose video game network with professionally created and user-generated content.

Both entities have grown over the last decade as professional and amateur eSports flourished. MLG dabbled with networks such as USA and ESPN in the mid-2000s, while simultaneously streaming online with different partners over the years. Four months ago, the company officially launched MLG.TV and began streaming exclusively through their own platform.

The site has a combination of live competition and tournament action along with produced shows. Checking out the site recently, I watched the channel of pro Call of Duty player Seth Abner (his handle or nickname is "Scumpii"), who played Call of Duty Ghosts online while chatting with players verbally via MLG's Twitter chat function. He is also part of Team OpTic, a pro team that has their own MLG.TV channel and they are competing in the MLG's new Call of Duty League.

Then at 7 p.m., I caught the first-run broadcast of eSports Report, a weekly Sportscenter-esque half-hour program that covered the latest in competition around the world. It even had its own "5 Plays of the Day," sponsored by Pizza Hut. Past episodes remain available on demand on MLG.TV and on MLG's YouTube channel.

After that, I switched over to a live match between the teams Curse Las Vegas and Justus, both part of the previously-mentioned Call of Duty league, which has regular broadcasts leading up to playoffs in April. The action was fast and furious with execution beyond the friendly amateur competitions I've participated in.

As interest has grown in eSports, MLG has ratcheted up the action from professionals. A U.S. Call of Duty championship will be broadcast live on the site March 8-9 with a world championship match to follow March 28-30. And MLG has begun to expand internationally with MLG Brasil; its future competitions held in Brazil will be on MLG.TV. This weekend, MLG also broadcasts a Super Smash Brothers tournament from Columbus, Ohio, benefiting that city's Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Live competitions are prevalent on Twitch, too, with regular matches on games such as League of Legends, Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. In addition to the finale of the Ender's GameStarCraft II tournament Saturday, Twitch also will be broadcasting matches of fighting games such as Injustice and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 from the Winter Brawl 8 in Philadelphia this weekend.

Twitch has more than 1 million broadcasters with some curated by Microsoft, Sony, Electronic Arts and Ubisoft with videos about new and upcoming games. Video game media outlets such as Machinima and Destructoid have scheduled programming on their channels (most videos are available on-demand later, too). Twitch has also been the home for live feeds from events such as the Electronic Entertainment Expo.

The network has gotten a lot of attention recently from a community experiment in which more than half a million Twitch members are collectively playing the game Pokemon Red .

But much of Twitch's charm comes from the homegrown programs and live streams that have the feel of reality TV and Wayne's World. On his CohhCarnage channel, Ben Cassell plays an assortment of games, interacting and offering advice along the way, with hard rock playing in the background. When the Xbox One game Titanfall comes out March 11, he plans an Unlockathon to play until he conquers all the game's achievements and challenges.

"Unlike most jobs, streaming gives you back what you put in," says Cassell, 29, who lives in the Research Triangle Park. Now a full-time game design student, he makes more than twice as much on his channel — viewers can subscribe for $4.99 monthly for chat privileges and other perks — as he did in his previous job as a full-time IT analyst. "I run a stream that is oriented to older individuals who prefer upbeat environments that are free of drama," he said in an e-mail exchange.

Expect both outlets to continue to grow, because the highly valued 16-to-34-year-old male audience is increasingly tuning in. Twitch has grown to 45 million monthly unique viewers from 3.2 million viewers in 2011, when it became a destination separate from its original home on Justin.tv.

Each month, viewers watch 13 billion minutes of video. Recent research from net infrastructure firm Deepfield, reported by the Wall Street Journal, found that during peak traffic times, Twitch garnered the fourth-most activity, behind Netflix, Google and Apple, but ahead of Hulu and Amazon. And user channels have increased recently because new PlayStation 4 and Xbox One systems can easily stream gameplay on Twitch.

As for MLG.TV, its major championships draw 3-6 million viewers. Last year, MLG viewers consumed 54 million hours of video, up from 15.5 million hours in 2012. When it comes to watching on mobile, Twitch has apps for Android and iOS devices; MLG is developing apps for mobile and game systems, too.

So, if you are at all into video games, it's worth taking a peek at both sites. Pay close attention and you'll likely learn something to step up your own game.

"Cutting the Cord" is a new regular column covering Net TV and ways to get it. If you have suggestions or questions, contact Mike Snider via e-mail. And follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.