Is eSports the Future of Football?

in #sportstalk5 years ago

Not long ago the link between eSports and Football was unthinkable. Now, football clubs are starting to get in on the action and it’s estimated that over 150 teams have signed eSporters on their books. 

eSports is predicted to reach 600 million viewers and generate $1.2b US by the year 2020. Such is its reach and potential Football clubs are starting to get into the action.

What makes eSports so attractive for football clubs and is this the end of football as we know it?

The Growth of eSports

The marriage of eSports and football all began in May 2015 when German football club VfL Wolfsburg signed FIFA players Benedikt ‘SaLz0r’ Saltzer and Daniel ‘DaniTastic’ Fink. 

Since then it has now exploded into a football phenomenon with many clubs around the world signing eSporters to their clubs.

Teams such as AS Roma, Ajax, Man City, Monaco, Valencia and West Ham have all signed FIFA players on their books but the growth isn’t limited only to FIFA.

Spurred on by a prediction of 600 million viewers by 2020, football clubs PSG, Schalke 04, Besiktas, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce have all signed up e-Sporters up to League of Legends teams they have created.

In 2017 Danish team F.C. Copenhagen in collaboration with the Nordisk Film company signed on the Danish Counter-Strike:Global Offensive team, Team Dignitas, on their books. The new collaboration launched a new eSports brand called NORTH, a separate division to F.C. Copenhagen’s football department. 

Why eSports is Gaining Popularity?

The game of modern football is becoming increasingly expensive whether it’s playing the game at an organised grassroots level, buying tickets for a game or purchasing a subscription to watch it.

Younger generations are hit especially hard with the affordability issues of modern football and the large majority of e-Sporters are made up of teenagers.

Football clubs have caught on to the fact that to ensure future success and ongoing financial sustainability, they need to strike a chord with the younger generations and attract younger fans. 

They’ve also caught onto the fact that $1.2b US will be generated through e-Sports by the year 2020, a market too lucrative to ignore.

For the best e-Sporting talent it is an attractive prospect to link up with the likes of major European clubs with an unlimited potential to boost their own social media profiles. 

Mainstream League

The biggest football league in the world, the English Premier League is even getting in on the act by launching its first eSports competition. Starting in early 2019, FIFA players will be competing to represent their club in the grand final which will be screened live by Sky Sports.

It’s the Premier Leagues first drive into e-Sports although Manchester City and West Ham already have eSporters on their books representing their clubs.

It is the first time the Premier League has backed such a tournament, but Manchester City have three players on their eSports team that represent them in FIFA tournaments around the world, while West Ham have two players signed up. Real football will always attract a large number of viewers, that’s how it will always be. 

In Australia, the E-League will be into it’s second season in 2019 with all 8 A-League teams having representatives in a FIFA e-Sports competition which includes 2 nominated players and a draft selection process. The competition is also televised on Fox Sports.

Conclusion

The growth of e-Sports into the mainstream has continued to rapidly grow and has branched out into mainstream football. 

The estimated 600 million viewers of e-Sports by 2020 is too lucrative to pass up on and with continued growth will become an even bigger part in the future of football.

The estimated number of 150 teams that have ventured into eSports continues to grow venture into eSports as the football clubs look to expand their brand. 

In the case of F.C Copenhagen and their new e-Sports brand NORTH, the club doesn’t have a second market like the larger European clubs such as Manchester United or Real Madrid. Smaller clubs are recognising this as a way to capture a global secondary market and reclaim the next generation of fans. 

As football clubs are starting to lose the younger generation, mainstream football leagues and media are following suit. They’re finally understanding that kids don’t come home and watch TV, but would rather watch an eSports gamer on YouTube. With that said it looks as if the collaboration between eSports and football will continue well into the future. 

You can see the original article written by me posted on my blog Wolf Gang Sport. 

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Si gli E-sport sono il futuro...ottimo articolo

grazie mille per la lettura ti auguro il meglio

Interesting read! I think as much as anything it shows just how big an organisation the top football clubs are. As with any multinational corporation they have their fingers in as many pies as possible especially when said pies are potential competitors to their main product

Very well said. Another form of diversification for the big clubs to limit risk and maximise upside.

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