eSports

Is it Time to invest in eSports?

Published

6 years ago

October 30, 2017

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

eSports is no longer the future, it’s the present.

The competitive gaming industry is on the cusp of becoming a mainstream attraction and investors everywhere are clamoring to get in on the action before it really takes off. More and more people are playing video games and more and more people are watching the very best gamers do their thing for potentially huge sums of money. So, is now the right time to put your money into eSports?

Growth

Not much is certain in sports. A missed free-throw or a poor pass could cost a game, a tournament and inevitably a whole lot of money. There are so many variables on the field which is why most of the money is made off it. One thing which is certain is popularity. People love sport and it seems that that love is extending to a relatively new area of the sector: eSports.

The idea of people playing video games for millions of dollars was a laughable concept just a few years ago but things have changed. Back in 2011, the worldwide value of the eSports market was estimated to have been less than $100 million. By 2019, that will top $1 billion and by 2022, will surpass $2 billion.

League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive are the two biggest titles in the eSports world right now. In March, a Counter Strike event known as ESL attracted 100,000 visitors in person and over one million people tuned in to watch the final on an internet live stream. A number of other tournaments regularly have a seven-figure grand prize.

It’s not limited to those two titles. EA’s FIFA series attracts crowds and there are plans for a new North American basketball eSports league based on Take-Two Interactive’s NBA 2K series. Famed games designer, Blizzard is also getting in on the action with their popular first-person shooter Overwatch. The Overwatch League is scheduled to begin next year, a worldwide league with teams from North America, Europe and Asia. Already, groups like Kraft and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment have purchased franchises in the competition.

Revenue streams

So why are they doing it? Well, many investors are viewing it as a chance to get in on the ground-floor of a potential new mass entertainment industry. That doesn’t happen very often and it offers both limitations and opportunities.

For owners, there is a need for diversification. Teams exist within teams and each organisation usually has several different sets of players on various platforms. As previously discussed, the larger titles like League of Legends and Counter-Strike hold tournaments with massive prize pots, this effectively allows some teams to support others within the same organisation.

This structure is good for things like merchandising – fans tend to stick to one team and follow them across various game titles – but it can pose its own challenges. Betting company Betway launched a partnership with popular Swedish eSports team, Ninjas in Pyjamas. It’s a successful agreement which worked well for both parties but the deal violated the rules set by League of Legends and was cancelled for that particular title. The partnership is still in place in some of the organisation’s other teams but be aware of the risk.

But sponsorship is just one source of revenue and this is hardly a traditional sector. Expect income from ticket sales and merchandising like any other sport but it will also come from streaming. The competitive gaming community has its own popular figures that regularly fetch in thousands of daily viewers when they stream their day-to-day games. Most North American players use Twitch, a service which was purchased by Amazon for $970 million way back in 2014.

Differences versus traditional sports

Competitive gaming is unlike any of the more traditional, popularised sports. It’s still in its infancy which means that prices are low. The best League of Legends players in the world are on salaries ranging from $500,000-$800,000. It’s a huge number to amateur gamers but a miniature one to other professional sports stars at the top of their respective fields.

ESports today is similar to the early days of other popular sports. Players are hardly tied down with teams forming and disbanding almost at will. There’s also a difference in the nature of the player base. The utilitarian nature of eSports means that players can come from any background providing they have a decent gaming computer and high-speed broadband. Reactions are crucial in most games so expect more players in their teens than their thirties.

Any investment made now would effectively be a way of laying the groundwork for the future. Some of the largest companies on the planet are doing just that and who can blame them? The growth of competitive gaming has been phenomenal in the last few years and it doesn’t show any signs of slowing. Sure, it carries the same risk as regular sports but now is as good a time as any to get investing in eSports and you don’t want to be one of the endless stories of people who missed the investment opportunity of their lives.

eSports

North Star Network acquires Um Dois Esportes

Published

2 days ago

April 24, 2024

Peter Tolan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

North Star Network are delighted to announce the acquisition of umdoisesportes.com.br, which becomes the latest addition to NSN’s global sports media portfolio.

Born from the GRPCOM merger of the editorial teams of Gazeta Do Povo and Tribuna do Paraná in 2020, Um Dois Esportes provides in-depth sports coverage and analysis for the Brazilian state of Paraná and beyond.

North Star Network co-founder Julien Josset said: “Thank you to the team at GRPCOM for their faith in us to take the brand forward. Um Dois Esportes is an established and renowned site in Paraná State, and we’re excited about the challenge of developing this asset.”

“We’re happy to maintain the collaboration with the existing editorial team, and look forward to working with them, bringing our unique NSN approach, to take UDE forward.” NSN’s signing of Um Dois Esportes is the media house’s fourth acquisition of 2024, following the recent deals to purchase UK-based SportsMole and MrFixitsTips, as well as Chilean site AlAireLibre, which was announced in March.

The latest addition to the North Star media portfolio joins existing assets including Top Mercato, Afrik-Foot, and Vringe. The Paris-based company already oversees a significant Brazilian operation, delivering over 6 million sessions per month, from the likes of Trivela, Premier League Brasil and Lakers Brasil.

NSN will retain Curitiba-based journalists from the Um Dois Esportes legacy team to maintain the asset’s unique tone and popular coverage of the Paraná sports scene across site and social.

“We were surprised by the interest, and initially had no intention of selling Um Dois, but as the conversations evolved, we realised this was a serious group with good intentions,” said GRPCOM Director Rafael Mello. “We were very happy to see our project being valued by a large international group and going global, demonstrating the quality of the content we produced.”

“We’re also proud that North Star inherited our journalists, who are truly responsible for the success of the product we offer readers every day.”

eSports

GIANTX Promotes LVP Superliga Toplaner Th3Antonio to the League of Legends EMEA Championship Roster

Published

2 days ago

April 24, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Today, GIANTX is excited to announce an update to its LEC competitive roster. Antonio”Th3Antonio” Espinosa Bejarano is recognised as one of the most successful LVP Superliga players in the history of GIANTX, and he has now reached a pivotal moment in his career to compete in the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC).

The LEC is the most important League of Legends competition in Europe and one of the most relevant in the international esports scene. The Barcelona-born ‘toplaner’ will be part of the lineup kicking off the LEC Summer split season in Berlin, which starts in June. As the community quotes; ‘Th3LEC’ is finally a reality.

Commenting on his new role, Th3Antonio said:

“This is the dream I’ve been working towards since I entered esports. I always wanted to compete at the highest level to face the best, and finally, I have this opportunity. I never stopped striving, and thanks to that and the work we’ve done together with all my teammates, we’ve achieved great things in Spain, but the LEC has always been my ultimate goal. Going to the LEC with my lifelong club, GIANTX, is a double dream. Everyone knows what GIANTX means to me”.

Sports Director at GIANTX, David Alonso, added:

“Th3Antonio deserves this opportunity, both in recognition of the level he’s at and all the work he has put in over the past few years. We are convinced of this decision and that he will give everything to succeed in the LEC. He has always been characterised by sacrificing himself for others, and lately, he has taken a step forward by leading in crucial moments, a clear sign of his maturity as a player”.

Having joined at a young age in 2017, Antonio ‘Th3Antonio’ Espinosa has become one of the most decorated players of the LVP Superliga and of GIANTX history. During his time with the team, he has won four Superliga titles, two Iberian Cups, one Copa, and has reached an EMEA Masters final, as well as other national competitions.

The decision to promote Th3Antonio reflects GIANTX’s need to implement changes following the results of the LEC Winter and Spring split seasons. In both splits, the team fell short in the first round of playoffs. The Summer split season is the main shot at Worlds for all teams, and the aim of the club was to make the necessary changes to achieve this goal. After a period of reflection and numerous trials, Th3Antonio has been chosen for the toplaner position.

eSports

L&G esports team founded by Alona Shevtsova won the national Dragon EC Cup tournament

Published

3 days ago

April 24, 2024

Zoltan Tundik

Four teams competed in the tournament's final: Lazer Cats, L&G, which received a direct invitation to the final stage, EsportsBattle, and ThunderFlash, which had open qualifiers.

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Ukrainian esports team L&G won the Dragon EC Cup tournament, held on the 20th of April by Dragon Esports Club. Four teams competed in the tournament’s final: Lazer Cats, L&G, which received a direct invitation to the final stage, EsportsBattle, and ThunderFlash, which had open qualifiers. During the Grand Final, the L&G team competed with Lazer Cats on Mirage, Anubis, and Vertigo maps.

“This victory is a testament to the exceptional talent and commitment of our players, as well as the collective effort of our coaching staff and support personnel,” said Alona Shevtsova, founder of L&G Esports. “We are immensely proud of their accomplishments and grateful for the unwavering support of our fans.”

L&G is among the top 5 Ukrainian teams in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It was founded in 2021. The previous name was Leogaming, and it was created on the initiative of the famous Alona Shevtsova from the fintech sector.

The team began competing in top tournaments and almost immediately made it to the Advanced division of the ESEA League Europe competition. The team also participated in and took prizes in European tournaments such as the SCL League, WhiteBit Crypto Open, Phoenix League, and local competitions. The team players are marat2k, r0ublE, kr1vda, kL1o, OneUn1que, rji (coach).

The winners received a 50,000 UAH prize. Dragon Esports Club also prepared a 15-skin giveaway for the broadcast’s viewers.

It is worth mentioning that the L&G team created its merch items, which are available for order worldwide. To get more information about the team, visit the L&G Instagram page, Twitch, or Telegram Channel.