How Big Are Esports?
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Esports has seen a recent surge in popularity. But how big are esports? We take a look at the current state of esports to find out.
The Popularity of Esports
You may have seen people talking about esports, but how big are they really? The esports industry is growing rapidly and is predicted to reach a value of $1.4 billion by 2022. This means that more people are watching and playing esports than ever before. Let’s take a look at the popularity of esports.
The Growth of Esports
With the global esports economy expected to reach $1.1 billion by 2019, it’s no surprise that the popularity of professional gaming is on the rise. Here are some key statistics that illustrate the impressive growth of this industry over the past few years:
-In 2017, there were an estimated 292 million esports viewers worldwide.-This is a 41.7% increase from 2016, when there were an estimated 205 million viewers.-The majority of these viewers (60%) are between the ages of 21 and 35.-By 2020, it’s estimated that this number will rise to nearly 600 million viewers.-North America is currently the largest market for esports, with an estimated 56 million viewers in 2017.-China comes in second with an estimated 50 million viewers, followed by South Korea with 45 million.-The average age of an esports viewer is 28 years old (compared to 37 for traditional sports).-The average esports viewer spends approximately 2.6 hours watching gaming content each week.-72% of all esports viewers also watch traditional sports.-64% of all esports fans are male, while 36% are female.
The Reach of Esports
The reach of esports is bigger than you might think. In 2019, the global esports economy was valued at $906 million and is projected to grow to $1.65 billion by 2023. At the same time, the global audience for esports is expected to reach 450 million this year.
There are a number of reasons for this growth. For one, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many traditional sports to cancel or postpone their seasons, leading many fans to turn to esports as a replacement. In addition, the popularity of streaming services like Twitch and YouTube Gaming have made it easier than ever before for people to watch esports. And finally, as more and more companies see the value in sponsoring esports teams and events, the industry is getting a boost in both publicity and funding.
With all of this growth, it’s no surprise that esports are becoming more and more mainstream. In 2019, ESPN began airing live coverage of esports events, and this year’s Super Bowl featured an ad for an upcoming esport tournament. It’s clear that esports are here to stay, and the next few years will be exciting to see how far they can go.
The Money in Esports
Esports is a big industry and it is only getting bigger. There is a lot of money to be made in esports and it is only going to continue to grow. There are a few ways to make money in esports. You can be a professional player, a coach, a commentator, or streamer. You can also work in the business side of things such as team management, event organizing, or marketing.
The Prize Pools in Esports
In 2019, the global esports market was valued at just over $900 million. This figure is expected to more than double by 2022, reaching a value of $1.65 billion. A large part of this growth is due to the increasing amount of money being put into prize pools for esports tournaments.
The largest prize pool in esports history is The International 2019, which had a prize pool of over $34 million. This is nearly four times the size of the next largest prize pool, which was $10 million for the Overwatch World Cup 2018.
Other notable large prize pools include:
– Fortnite World Cup 2019 – $30 million
– Dota 2 International 2018 – $25 million
– Halo World Championship 2018 – $1 million
The total amount of money awarded in esports prize pools has been increasing rapidly in recent years. In 2012, the total amount of money awarded in all esports prize pools was just over $6 million. By 2018, this figure had risen to nearly $160 million. This figure is expected to continue to rise in the coming years as more and more people become interested in esports.
The Salaries in Esports
While many people still view video gaming as a hobby, there is no doubt that it has become a legitimate profession for some people. The rise of esports has led to gamers being able to make a living by playing video games competitively, and the best players can make quite a bit of money.
The average esports player salary varies depending on the game, but it is typically around $60,000 per year. The top players can make significantly more than this, with some players earning millions of dollars per year. The very best players in the world can earn over $10 million in a single year from tournament winnings, sponsorship deals, and endorsement deals.
So how do you get started in esports? If you want to be a professional gamer, you need to be good at one (or more) games and you need to be able to consistently win tournaments. The best way to accomplish this is to practice as much as possible and to enter as many tournaments as you can. The more experience you have, the better your chances will be of becoming a top player.
The Sponsorships in Esports
The popularity of esports has exploded in recent years, and with it, the amount of money being poured into the industry. Sponsorships are a huge part of esports, with big brands looking to get involved with professional gaming tournaments and teams.
Brands like Coca Cola, Red Bull, and Intel are all major sponsors of esports events and teams. In 2018 alone, it is estimated that sponsorships will generate $694 million dollars for the esports industry. This is a massive increase from the $361 million generated in 2017.
With the rapid growth of esports, it is likely that sponsorship revenue will continue to increase in the coming years. This presents a big opportunity for brands looking to get involved with this growing industry.
The Future of Esports
The esports industry has seen explosive growth in recent years. The global esports economy is now worth $696 million, and it is projected to grow to $1.5 billion by 2020. This rapid growth is due to a combination of factors, including the increasing popularity of online gaming, the rise of live-streaming platforms, and the growth of the competitive gaming scene.
The Potential of Esports
Investors are confident that esports has a bright future. In fact, they’re pouring millions of dollars into the industry in the hopes of getting in on the ground floor of what could be the next big thing in entertainment.
The global esports economy is expected to grow to $696 million by the end of this year, according to a report from NewZoo, a gaming research firm. That’s up from $463 million last year. And it’s projected to reach $1.5 billion by 2020.
Mr. Wilson said he expected that number to double in the next five years. “You could easily see a situation where there are mainstream companies like Coca-Cola and Nike sponsoring teams and events,” he said.
There are already signs that traditional media companies are taking notice of esports’ potential. Walt Disney has started an esports division, and Turner Broadcasting is broadcasting live competitions on its cable channel TBS. ESPN has also started covering esports in recent years.
The Challenges of Esports
The esports industry is still in its infancy, and as such, it faces a number of challenges that need to be addressed in order for it to continue to grow. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of regulation and standardization. There is no one governing body for esports, which makes it difficult to establish rules and regulations. This can lead to problems with match-fixing, cheating, and other issues.
Another challenge facing esports is the lack of mainstream acceptance. Esports is often seen as a niche interest, and it’s not yet widely recognized as a legitimate form of competition. This can make it difficult for esports athletes to get sponsorships and find opportunities to compete at the highest levels.
Finally, there is a lack of understanding about how to run successful esports events. Because esports is still relatively new, there are few experienced event organizers who know how to put on a professional-quality tournament. This can lead to issues with poor management, scheduling problems, and other issues that can dissuade potential fans from attending events.
Despite these challenges, the esports industry continues to grow at an impressive rate. With more people becoming interested in competitive gaming every day, it’s likely that these challenges will be addressed in time.