Can eSports Maintain Momentum as Live Sport Comes Back into Play?

eSports has become a phenomenon within the gaming industry over recent years. It has transformed into huge arenas, sell-out crowds, multimillion teenagers before they leave school – and some are even lobbying for it to become part of the Olympic Games.

The whole movement has been the centre of attention since sports were cancelled and postponed in response to the recent trying times. With no games to watch, sports fans turned to eSports to get their kicks, throws, tackles and catches. Overall, this replaced sports for many fans and became a haven where they could continue to watch unpredictable edge-of-the-seat action and even support their teams. The latter is made possible because some official elite sports teams recruited pro gamers to represent them in eSports tournaments.

eSports Also Attracted the Gambling Market

Many sports fans like to bet on their favourite team and have a lot of fun doing so. However, these betting activities were also placed on a hiatus during the recent sports blackout. Without sports, the sports betting market also stopped. eSports was already part of betting markets for some online bookmakers, but more online casino and betting sites began to offer new betting opportunities. This has perked the attention of people who like to bet on all type of sports. You can find betting sites that are offering eSports betting markets at BettingOnline.co.uk, which also provides guides and useful tips to help you get started.

Will eSports Continue the Momentum?

eSports has been growing at significant rates for almost a decade. The recent months have catapulted that growth further with more sports fans tuning in, as well as people who do not class themselves as sports fans.

The chances of every new viewer switching eSports off once their favourite sports team is back on the field are unlikely to almost impossible. The sports blackout will have scooped up a lot of new fans and a proportion of them will likely keep watching to some degree. That means the games drought can only have been useful for eSports despite how many sports fans do not watch eSports again. Recent events may have just put eSports forward a few months or even a year or two (in terms of viewership which then transpires into sponsors etc.).

Other Reasons Why eSports will Grow

There are other reasons why eSports is not likely to lose momentum as it gathers pace as the pinnacle of the gaming community, such as:

• Internet access is always growing
• Streaming sites like Twitch are also growing in users
• Younger generations have grown up with these games
• The stigma of gaming is being shaken off
• Even eSports channels are being created
• Most gamers are professional workers in their 30s (not what you may think!)
• eSports arenas are being built in popular destinations, such as Las Vegas