• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
The Best Employers in Sports survey is open through Nov. 6 Learn More

Looking Into the Crystal Ball: 3 Esports Predictions for 2019

esports - business - sports

Photo via pixabay

In 2018, fans worldwide watched 6.6 billion hours of esports. With the ability to stream competitions becoming easier to access, the rise of newer games like “Fortnite,” and more fans coming on board, that number will most likely rise once again.

With the new year upon us, we took a look at what else fans and gamers can expect from the world of competitive video games in 2019 with the help of a few industry professionals.

Player welfare will take on more importance

In the past decade or so, the world of esports developed some habits that would probably be considered unhealthy. Players would all live and train together in a single facility. Not many resources were made available to players in terms of mental or physical wellness. Esports organizations also rarely made it a point to help players transition into a different career once their playing days were over.

Now, large organizations like Gen.G are changing the conversation.

At its newest facility in Seoul, Gen.G offers players access to resources like a nutritionist, a psychologist, a full gym, and streaming resources once players are done playing competitively. Players also work in this facility while commuting from their homes around the city in an effort to avoid mental burnout.

READ MORE: Gen.G Is Leading the Highly Competitive Esports Arms Race

In a recent interview, Gen.G Chief Growth Officer Arnold Hur spoke to the importance of his company dedicating resources to improve player welfare.

“I really don’t understand it when I see other organizations that aren’t as focused on player welfare,” Hur said. “It’s our top priority to make sure that a player can be more successful with us than with any other organization. In any sport, your number-one cost is going to be your talent, your players. Making sure that they’re able to perform at their best should be your biggest investment. Since they are our most important investment, we’re going to give it our best shot, so that our athletes can be the best that they can be.”

More non-endemic brands will come on as sponsors and investors

Brands like Alienware and Razer are deeply embedded in the sponsorship space of esports due to their long-established credibility with gamers.

Thanks to esports continuing to dominate the attention spans of the highly coveted 18-35 demographic worldwide, brands that offer products or services that aren’t specifically tied to gaming will likely be moving into esports at a quickened pace. Nike, for example, signed Chinese League of Legends player Jian Zihao to an endorser contract early in the year.

[mc4wp_form id=”8260″]

Based on this and other similar deals, fans can especially expect this in esports leagues adjacent to traditional sports like the NBA 2K League.

“We’ve seen a number of large, non-endemic brands and investors come into the space over the past few years, but most recently in 2018,” said Grant Paranjape, director of esports business and team operations for Monumental Sports & Entertainment. “For those who have entered with a thoughtful approach and an ability to integrate endemic esports knowledge into their organizations, I think they’ve been well rewarded by the reception from a very difficult to reach audience. During 2019, I would expect more brands to investigate the space, learn from the mistakes and successes of others, and bring a level of investment into the industry that further professionalizes every aspect, from organizations to individual teams and players.”

READ MORE: Study Confirms Esports Has Graduated to the Big Leagues

Chris “Chopper” Hopper, Riot’s North American head of esports, echoed this sentiment.

“There was a lot of discussion in 2018 with non-endemic brands in terms of sponsorship. That will turn into more closures in 2019. There’s a lot of value here in esports, and brands are aware of that,” Hopper said.

Riot has names like State Farm Insurance and Mastercard sponsoring its major competitions. Expect more larger brands to follow suit in the new year.

Esports will gain more traction in traditional athletic competitions

The 2019 Southeast Asian Games will take place from November 30 to December 11 this year. For the first time in its history, esports will be a part of the competition alongside 55 other athletic events. Games included are “Dota 2,” “Starcraft II,” “Tekken 7,” “Arena of Valor,” “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang,” and one yet to be announced.

The Southeast Asia Games are sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This competition will mark the first time that esports is a medaled event in a competition sanctioned by the IOC.

Does this mean that we will see video games make their debut in the next Olympics? Not necessarily, but the IOC is opening the door here for other regional athletic competition to include video games in the program, which means the process is underway for esports to be an Olympic competition at some point in the next few years.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Vanderbilt Commodores fans head to the south end zone as the goal post is taken down by exuberant fans after beating No. 1 Alabama 40-35 at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.
opinion

Something New in College Football This Year: Parity

Upsets, surprises. CFB is more fun on the field than the NFL.
Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump waves flanked by former Georgia Bulldogs player Herschel Walker, recording art Kid Rock, professional golfer John Daily, Alabama senators Tommy Tuberville (R) and Katie Britt (R) during the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Mission Swing State: College Football’s Political Advertising Battle

Trump, Harris, and the PACs that support them are utilizing the sport.

The Untapped Revenue ‘Powder Keg’ of Women’s NFL Fandom

There’s a “boatload” of money at stake for brands and the league.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

NFL Teams Face Crossroads at Season’s Halfway Point

0:00

Featured Today

Oct 19, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) shakes hands while entering the locker room after a game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

NIL Director Is the Trendy New Job in College Sports. But the Role Is Chaos

Athletic departments nationwide are hiring for what’s become their most important position.
FuboTV signage
opinion
October 26, 2024

Fubo’s Fight Against Streaming Giants Feels Futile

Fubo notched a legal win, but subs and stock still slump.
October 25, 2024

Inside The Wall at L.A. Clippers’ New $2B Home

FOS went inside the “contagious” energy at the L.A. Clippers’ Intuit Dome.
Sep 29, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) shoots a three point jump shot over Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) during game one of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Barclays Center.
October 25, 2024

WNBA Facing 4 Big Business Questions This Offseason

Here’s where the WNBA can consider making upgrades after a historic year.

Beloved ‘Backyard Sports’ Brand Says It Will Relaunch After Decade Hiatus

“Backyard Baseball” was a turn-of-the-century computer hit. 
July 24, 2024

The Perfect Storm Propelling ‘EA Sports College Football’ to Early Success

Growing fandom and a long wait have already reaped dividends for EA.
DraftKings
August 2, 2024

DraftKings Announces Consumer Tax Starting Next Year

The company’s stock fell 5% Friday morning.
Sponsored

World Series Delivers High-Demand Marquee Matchup

The hype around the World Series matchup drove ticket prices to record levels—but the Dodgers’ dominance quickly quieted the fervor.
July 20, 2024

The Road to the Return of ‘EA Sports College Football’

This summer, the biggest development in college sports is virtual.
Sponsored

TopSpin 2K25 Brings the Legends of Tennis to Your Living Room

2K sports is reviving a classic with TopSpin 2K25.
July 3, 2024

Esports Winter: NBA 2K League Hits Pause Button Amid Industry Decline

The previously high-profile esports league is now effectively on hiatus amid widespread layoffs.
June 14, 2024

IOC Proposes Holding Separate Olympics for Esports

The organization’s executive board has proposed a separate Olympics for online gaming.