>Thus, before any real money can be made (for players and distributors/producers) elements of american sports need to be echoed: big money backers (owners), betting, and a more structured and and centralized league system. >The problem is e-sports is still so immature for the above three things, both technically (cheating is a major issue) and in popularity (e-sports has yet to prove exiting to the uninformed spectator).

Just to be clear, you're talking about the west right. In Korea these things are all already in place. Huge sponsors throwing huge events, salaried teams making a lot of money, a large spectator community, 2 tv channels, proleague.