Esports is a billion dollar industry that revolves around competitive video games. These games range from MOBAs and single-player first person shooters to survival battle royales, and virtual reconstructions of traditional physical sports. As a result, esports has become a popular form of entertainment for young people. These games are played in highly organized competitive environments and are now televised.
esports is a billion-dollar industry
Esports is a rapidly-growing global phenomenon that has garnered millions of fans and billions of dollars in prize money. The popularity of video games like League of Legends and Counter-Strike has led to major television broadcasts and investments by big-name companies. Streaming services have made even casual gamers into celebrities, bringing them seven-figure earnings and massive brand endorsements.
Esports has grown so quickly that a Saudi-backed investment group recently purchased the esports organizer ESL for $1 billion. Although the investment was for the platform and not the game itself, the deal proved to be a smart move for the Saudi-backed group. Despite the recent downturn in traditional sports, the esports industry is expected to grow by nearly five-fold in five years, equivalent to the revenue of the top fifteen teams in the English Premier League.
It is a form of competitive gaming
Esports is a genre of video games that involves competitive gaming. The first tournament was held in 1980 as part of Atari’s Space Invaders Championship. It featured more than ten thousand players, and was the first large-scale video game competition. It was a major event, as most games involved physical movement and were not developed online.
ESports is becoming increasingly popular as a form of entertainment and can be a legitimate career path. The level of skill required to play in this arena is high, requiring lightning-fast reactions and lots of practice. The popularity of eSports has led to the creation of educational courses and eSports tournaments. Students can earn BA Honours degrees in eSports and study subjects such as event planning, casting, and marketing.
It is televised
A popular example of an esports competition is Overwatch, a team-based first-person shooter that was released in 2015. Its popularity remains high today, and it was televised by ESPN until 2019. The deal ended in 2019, and Overwatch has not been televised since. However, Activision Blizzard has been negotiating with broadcasters to get the game back on TV.
Esports are a lucrative business for TV networks. The last World Championships were watched by more than 100 million people, and the finals of the League of Legends World Championship surpassed the Super Bowl in terms of viewership. The popularity of esports has also attracted the attention of major sponsors, including Coca-Cola, Samsung, and others. Therefore, TV bosses are doing everything they can to cover these games.
It is a team sport
Esports is a team sport that is played online. Unlike traditional sports, esports is sponsored by a company. Developers of popular video games sponsor competitions with prizes and other incentives. One example is the Fortnite World Cup. These competitions have become a global phenomenon.
In the United States, esports competitions are regulated by the National Federation of State High School Associations, which is a governing body for most high school sports. It is also recognized by the International Olympic Committee, which is discussing the possibility of incorporating it into future Olympic events.
It is a school-to-pro pipeline
Developing a school-to-pro pipeline in competitive gaming is a difficult undertaking. Unlike the traditional sports industry, where the pipeline is already established, esports is a young industry and it requires new players to succeed. To develop a pipeline, the industry must first identify the problem and provide solutions.
There are a few ways to create a school-to-pro pipeline in the esports industry. One is through the formation of esports clubs. These clubs rely on a combination of word of mouth, online rankings, and social media chatter to identify talent. Two popular games that have helped build this pipeline are Blizzard Entertainment’s “Overwatch” and Riot Games’ “League of Legends.”
