How Esports is Changing the Sports Industry

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Electronic sports, better known as esports, have redefined how we talk about the sports industry. Esports are video games played competitively by a person or team against others on the internet. What was once a hobby has become an economic juggernaut, with the best professional gamers becoming household names, filling stadiums with adoring fans.

The esports industry’s growth isn’t expected to slow anytime and now competes on the same level as traditional sports. Keep reading to learn about how esports is changing the sports industry.

Is Esports a Real Sport?

There’s a lot of debate surrounding whether esports is a sport in the traditional sense. Depending on who you ask, you’ll get a different answer. One thing is certain; esports has been recognized as a sport by international bodies, including the Asian games and colleges and universities worldwide.

As one of the world’s most popular card games, it is no surprise that many people play free poker online. However, there’s some debate about whether online poker falls under the esports banner. Like other games, poker does attract large audiences, with fans cheering for the best players.

Fan Engagement

Not long ago, going to a stadium or turning on a TV were the most common ways people watched sports. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube have transformed how fans watch their favorite sports, with esports leading the way.

Twitch has 31 million daily users, making it the leading video game streaming platform. Fans can tune into the channels of their favorite games to watch them play games like League of Legends and Dota 2. The most-watched streamers accumulate as many as 70 million viewed hows per month.

When fans want in-person interaction, they can attend esports competitions at stadiums and other venues around the world. Since most esports viewers are also gamers, many attend gaming conventions to keep up with the latest happenings in the gaming world.

When enthusiasts watch professional gamers on YouTube and Twitch, they can interact with them and get gaming tips. Today’s fans want to do more than passively watch a sporting event; they want to engage, something esports allows them to do.

Streaming

Traditional sports are following esports’ lead by increasing fan engagement through streaming. Instead of subscribing to cable to view their favorite teams, many sports fans now turn to streaming platforms.

Major sports leagues and teams have begun to focus on the fan experience, creating apps that allow fans to join forums where they can talk about the outcome of sporting events. The NBA League pass is one of the most successful streaming platforms in traditional sports, allowing fans to find all the information they want and a community of like-minded people in one place.

Social Media

Besides Twitch and YouTube, social media platforms like Twitter have become one of the most important tools in the sports industry. Traditional sports teams have used social media to communicate directly with fans, with players sometimes interacting with them directly.

Esports athletes perfected social media, and the sports industry has embraced it, bringing fans closer to the sports they love.