How Many Esports Viewers Are There?
Contents
How many people actually watch esports? The answer might surprise you.
Introduction
The global esports audience is around 453 million people in 2020, up from Perez 2020 who estimated the then-current global esports audience to be 380 million. The total global esports market was valued at around $1.1 billion in 2019 and is predicted to grow to $1.8 billion by 2022. In the United States, Newzoo estimates that there are around 43 million esports viewers, which is about 14 percent of the total global esports audience.
The Size of the Esports Industry
There are an estimated 427 million esports viewers worldwide. This number has been growing steadily over the past few years, with a 14% growth from 2019 to 2020. The esports industry is expected to be worth $1.1 billion by 2023. As the industry continues to grow, we can expect to see even more viewers tuning in to watch their favorite teams and players compete.
Global esports revenues
Global esports revenues will reach $1.1 billion in 2019, a 27.5% increase from 2018, according to a report from industry analyst Newzoo.
This is the first time that annual revenues have topped $1 billion, and the figure is expected to continue to rise in the coming years. North America and China are the two largest markets for esports, accounting for a combined total of 54% of the global audience.
The report also found that there are now 3.8 billion people who consider themselves “esports enthusiasts,” and that number is expected to grow to nearly half a billion by 2021.
Number of esports viewers
According to a report by Newzoo, the number of esports viewers worldwide was estimated to be nearly 380 million in 2018. This number is expected to grow to almost 600 million by 2023. The majority of viewers are in the Asia-Pacific region, followed by North America and Europe.
The Popularity of Esports
Esports are a growing phenomenon with more and more people tuning in to watch competitive gaming. In 2017, the global esports market was valued at nearly $700 million and is expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2020. The popularity of esports has led to the creation of dedicated esports leagues and tournaments, with some of the biggest events attracting millions of viewers from all over the world.
The most popular esports games
There are many popular esports games, but some rise above the rest. The games that have the most dedicated fan bases and offer the biggest prize pools are the ones that attract the most viewers. Here are a few of the most popular esports games:
1. League of Legends: League of Legends is a five-player online battle arena game published by Riot Games. It is one of the most popular games in the world, with millions of players worldwide.
2. Dota 2: Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena game developed and published by Valve Corporation. It is one of the most popular games in the world, with millions of players worldwide.
3. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a multiplayer first-person shooter game developed by Hidden Path Entertainment and Valve Corporation. It is one of the most popular games in the world, with millions of players worldwide.
4. Overwatch: Overwatch is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. It is one of the most popular games in the world, with millions of players worldwide.
The most watched esports tournaments
The following table shows the most watched esports tournaments. The tournaments are measured by unique viewers and are organized by the Esports Charts company.
https://www.esportsearnings.com/tournaments
*Note: all figures in millions
Tournament unique viewers
The International 2019 56
League of Legends World Championship 2019 49
Fortnite World Cup Finals 2019 41.8
IEM Katowice 2019 36.9
The International 2018 42
League of Legends World Championship 2018 39
The Future of Esports
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re familiar with esports. You’ve probably watched a match or two, and you might even have a favourite team. But how many people actually watch esports? And what does the future of esports look like?
Growth of the esports industry
The esports industry is growing rapidly. In 2019, the global esports economy was valued at $865 million, and it is expected to grow to $1.79 billion by 2022. This growth is being driven by a variety of factors, including the increasing popularity of streaming platforms like Twitch, the rise of mobile gaming, and the growing interest of traditional sports leagues in the esports industry.
As the industry continues to grow, it is important to understand the size and scope of the esports audience. According to a report from Newzoo, there are currently 3.8 billion active gamers in the world, and 1.1 billion of them are considered esports enthusiasts (defined as those who watch or play esports at least once a month). This means that 29% of all gamers are interested in esports.
Of those 1.1 billion enthusiasts, 46% are male and 54% are female. The majority of fans are between the ages of 21 and 35 (41%), followed by those between 36 and 50 (32%). When it comes to income, 56% of fans have a household income of less than $50,000, while 44% have a household income of more than $50,000.
Geographically speaking, Asia-Pacific is home to the largest share of esport fans (51%), followed by North America (24%), Europe (19%), and Latin America (6%).
New markets for esports
There are a few notable ways in which the esports industry is expanding its reach to new markets. First, there is an increasing number of traditional sports teams and organizations investing in esports. For example, the NBA has partnered with Take-Two Interactive Software to create the NBA 2K eLeague, which will launch in 2018. This deal is significant because it marks the first official esports league operated by a North American professional sports league.
Second, new media companies are starting to invest in esports content and coverage. For example, ESPN has started to air esports events on its main network and its dedicated ESPN2 channel. In addition, Turner Broadcasting’s TBS network will start airing ELeague matches in 2016. These deals are significant because they bring increased legitimacy and mainstream appeal to esports.
Third, there is an increasing amount of investment coming from venture capitalists and other private investors. For example, a16z (a venture capital firm) has invested $5 million in Immortals, an organization that owns several professional esports teams. This deal is significant because it shows that there is serious money backing the growth of esports.
Fourth, there is an increasing number of traditional sports athletes who are serving as esport team owners or ambassadors. For example, Shaquille O’Neal (a retired NBA player) is an owner of NRG Esports (an organization that owns several professional esports teams). This deal is significant because it brings even more mainstream appeal to esports.
Lastly, a number of non-endemic brands (brands that are not traditionally associated with gaming or technology) are starting to invest in esports sponsorships. For example, Nissan sponsored Team Liquid (a professional esports team) at The International 2017 (a major Dota 2 tournament). This deal is significant because it shows that brands beyond the traditional gaming and technology companies are recognizing the value of investing in esports.
