Sports have always been super important to cultures around the world. Sports such as basketball and soccer have brought people together to compete since time immemorial. There have been many new sports invented throughout the years; however, in recent times, a new sport known as esports has taken the sporting world by storm. Esports offers a new type of competition where players and teams go head to head in an online video game and try to outplay each other using their knowledge and skill of the games they are playing.
Esports has only been able to make its sudden rise in the world of sports in recent years due to advancements in technology and the explosion of the internet. Players from around the globe are able to play against each other, enabling the best players at specific games to be scouted around the world. The games that have become the most popular for esports competitions include Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and League of Legends. The esports industry has become so big that many huge sponsors have flocked to the scene. There are massive tournaments that are held throughout the year, as well as entire leagues. You can even participate in Online Sports Betting of specific esports games and tournaments and back your favorite team. The entire esports industry was estimated to have a value of over $1 billion in 2019, with the expectation of it to grow to a whopping $3 billion in 2025.
Esports has blown up so much in recent years that it has had a significant impact on traditional sports with respect to viewership. Young people that have grown up with the expansion of the internet and the introduction of online gaming are much more likely to watch esports over the more traditional sports that have been around for many years. This has caused a profound decrease in viewers of sports such as football and basketball. Organizations of traditional sports have not let this go unnoticed, and many have started to invest heavily in the up-and-coming esports industry.
Virtual sports
Virtual sports is another type of esports that has heavily influenced the consumption of, and participation in, traditional sports. Virtual sports are online games that function as real-life sports simulations which enable the player to feel like they are playing a sport without having to actually leave their home. They have become more and more popular in recent years. These types of games have actually had a positive impact on getting young people involved in traditional sports who would have never done it in the real world. The hope is that these games will attract younger audiences to get involved with traditional sports.
Sports betting
The rise of esports has created a whole new type of sports betting, enabling people to bet on all different types of things related to the industry. You can place bets on individual games, what teams will win leagues and tournaments and even who will be the MVPs. A lot of sportsbooks have an entirely new section to facilitate esports betting, and it has led to a significant rise in revenue from esports alone.
Connection to esport superstars
Many people around the world love playing video games and this goes for the best sports players around the world. The esports scene has had a unique impact on bringing superstars onto streams of famous streamers to play popular games involved in the esports industry. A great example of this is the streamer Ibai who was able to get soccer players such as Borja Iglesias, Sergio Regulion, Achraf Hakimi and Thibaut Courtois on to his stream to play the popular esports title, League of Legends. This has provided fans with a unique experience to see what their favorite players are really like and ask them questions they would never normally have had the opportunity to ask. Fans are able to develop a closer connection with their favorite players thanks to the rise of the esports industry and the rise of streaming on sites such as Twitch and YouTube.
Soccer and esports
The rise of the esports industry and the continued growth of the competitive gaming scene is undeniable. For this reason, many sporting organizations, such as PSG football club, have created their own esports team to show their presence in the growing industry. In the US alone, it has been predicted that in 2023, 15.5% of all internet users will watch some form of esports at one point in a single month. If the esports industry continues to grow at its current rate then it is likely to surpass massive events such as Formula 1 and the Champions League.
Closing statement
The popularity of the esports industry is continuing to grow and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Traditional sporting organizations have to accept that esports isn’t going away and jump on board as early as they can. There are also clear benefits from the rise of the online gaming scene in terms of introducing sports to young people that would never have considered them before, as well as unique opportunities for fans to get closer to their favorite players.
