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eSports

How Esports Teams Make their Money

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Esports is a multi-billion dollar industry. Esports is growing in popularity, with tournaments drawing large audiences and teams gaining huge sponsorships from large companies.

The most popular esports games are played globally and have amazing betting guides, with fans from different countries participating and watching them online. Some of the most prominent esports competitions include The International (Dota 2) and League of Legends World Championship Series (LoL).

Esports has been considered to have high growth potential due to its mass appeal and global reach. Esports are on the rise, but one question remains; how do they make their money?

Selling Access to Live Events

A large portion of revenue for esports teams comes from selling tickets or broadcasting rights for their live events. These can range from small in-person tournaments with relatively low production value, for example, the Smash Bros Melee tournaments, to massive stadium-sized competitions.

Another way esports teams make money is by paying players salaries. Teams player’s wages to keep them on their rosters and ensure they stay competitive. This can range from hundreds of thousands of dollars per year for top-tier teams.

Selling Player Merchandise

Selling player merchandise includes everything from player-branded clothing and hats to team-branded accessories. The most common way for this to work is when a player decides to sell their merchandise in addition to representing the team.

Players can sell their brands of gear on their websites, as well as an esports organization selling branded apparel through its online store.

Sponsorships

Sponsorships are the most significant source of income for esports. They’re usually short-term but can also be long-term, depending on various factors. Sometimes they’re monetary, and others are non-monetary.

Local sponsorships can be within one region or province. Regional sponsorships include multiple areas across a continent or country, while national sponsorships are found on a national level in some countries. For example, soccer teams are sponsored by major corporations like Coca-Cola.

These would have local reach and international reach since they’re famous enough to be recognized around the world. Global sponsorships are when you see something like “This video game was made possible by…” at the beginning of your favorite streamer’s videos.

Companies sponsoring a team want worldwide exposure. So, they’ll likely choose someone who has vast followership across all social platforms, such as YouTube Gaming or TwitchTv.

Licensing

If a company wants to sell its product or brand, it must first license the rights to do so. The process is simple; one party grants permission to another party to use a trademark in exchange for money. Licensing is a great way to make money from your brand, and esports are no exception!

Some famous brands that have licensed their products include Coca-Cola and McDonald’s. Licensing can also be used. An effective marketing strategy for expanding your current audience and reaching new ones. 

You can provide official apparel, accessories, and other gears that fans can buy online or in stores. 

It’s essential for esports because they need all the exposure they can get!

Intellectual property 

Intellectual property is the legal right to an idea. It can include anything from a song to a game, and it’s used in esports to protect teams from copycats.

For example, if you had a fantastic idea for a new FPS game with all these great features, but someone took it and published it as their work before you did, they could sue you for using their intellectual property.

There are also non-game-related types of intellectual property like merchandise and music rights. They are sold separately from teams’ sponsorships and streaming deals.

These can be lucrative sources of income for esports teams because they’re unlikely to compete with other projects that have nothing directly related.

Tournaments Winning

Esports can also generate revenue from winning tournaments whenever they compete. Although it’s not a consistent source of income for esports teams since they might not succeed in every game, the tournament winnings can sustain the time.

Players are motivated to stay competitive and win more for the team to run its activities smoothly and for the players to make a sustainable career in the esports world.

Conclusion 

Esports, previously considered a fringe activity for nerds, has become a multibillion-dollar industry. Many people are still surprised to hear that it’s possible to make money playing video games, but the truth is that this has been an emerging market for many years now. 

Esports’ popularity is growing exponentially, and it will soon be one of the largest entertainment sectors in the world. But how are these players paid? It turns out they have various ways to make their money!

eSports

The World Esports Summit 2024 Is Here!

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The IESF World Esports Summit returns this December to Busan, South Korea. Hosted at the Busan Esports Arena (BRENA) from December 5-6, the Summit will bring together prominent figures from Esports, global brands, government officials, and sports executives for a deep dive into the current Esports trends, its rapid transformations, and future challenges.

This year’s theme, “Building Bridges, Not Barriers, Through the Power of Esports,” will highlight the role of Esports in uniting cultures, ideas, and industries. Under the slogan “We Empower Success,” the

Summit provides a great platform for Esports experts to engage in meaningful discussions and sessions, sharing their insights on trends and presenting forward-looking ideas for our industry.

The event, strategically timed at the close of the competitive season, presents a perfect environment for reflection on the year’s biggest events, industry shifts, and the next steps for Esports. Attendees can follow the expert’s perspectives on topics like:

  • (R)Evolution in Esports
  • East Meets West
  • Esports Integrity: The Role of Referees
  • The Rise of International Esports Competitions
  • (In Korean) Korea’s Secret Sauce etc.

Also, featured at this year’s event are the IESF World Esports Training Camp and the World Esports Referee Academy.

These are very important IESF programs that are aimed at advancing the skills and professional standards of the next generation of Esports leaders.

Join us in Busan for two days designed to inspire, connect, and empower the international Esports community.

Registration for the World Esports Summit is free and open to all interested attendees.

To register, please complete our online registration form: iesf.formstack.com/forms/wes2024_participation_registration

See you in Busan!

 

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eSports

Akhil Sarin CMO at Easygo named as key note at ICE Esports Conference

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Clarion Gaming has confirmed that Akhil Sarin CMO at Easygo, the technology powerhouse behind the success of global brands Stake and Kick will headline the Esports & Games Conference (EGC) taking place on 21 January as part of the ICE Barcelona experience.

As a key member of the executive team, Akhil Sarin has been instrumental in securing the high-profile partnerships that have accelerated Stake’s growth, including the Stake F1 team, UFC, Drake, and Premier League Everton FC.

Through these strategic alliances he has amplified Stake’s brand presence at the same time as creating unique, immersive player experiences, in the process setting new industry benchmarks.

Announcing the high profile speaker Will Harding, Head of Esports at Clarion Gaming said: “Securing Akhil Sarin as EGC  key note at ICE Barcelona represents a remarkable opportunity for our attendees to gain invaluable insight into cutting-edge strategies in digital and influencer marketing .

“Akhil’s expertise with Stake and Kick.com embodies the forward-thinking, innovative approach that defines the digital marketing landscapes. His participation underscores the calibre of knowledge-sharing that we are  committed to delivering at ICE and he is sure to both inspire our attendees and elevate their strategic perspective.” 

Looking ahead to ICE Barcelona, Akhil Sarin stated:  “Collaborating with Clarion Gaming at ICE Barcelona is an exciting opportunity to showcase Stake’s journey and continued focus on bold partnerships and creative marketing strategies that resonate with audiences.”

He added “The EGC is a vital platform for exchanging transformative ideas and shaping the future of gaming and entertainment. I look forward to discussing Stake’s vision and collaborating with industry leaders to inspire growth and innovation across the sector.”

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eSports

WEC24 Complete: Indonesia Crowned Overall Champion!

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WEC24 Complete: Indonesia Crowned Overall Champion! Busan, South Korea (November 20, 2024) – After nine days of exciting competition, the 16th World Esports Championship (WEC24) has come to a conclusion.

From epic plays to unforgettable moments, the championship closed out with the Dota 2 and MLBB Women’s finals. The ultimate victory and the biggest moment of the night belonged to Indonesia, as they won their second title as the WEC24 Overall Champions.

This prestigious trophy is awarded to the nation that excels across all of the game titles. Turkey secured one gold and one bronze medal also, however, Indonesia’s consistency and performance across the other game titles gave them the edge to secure their victory. Congratulations to Indonesia for this remarkable achievement!

WEC24 started on November 11 at the spectacular SEF Arena in Riyadh, bringing together athletes from around the world to compete across six tournaments: PUBG MOBILE, CS2 (Women’s and Open), Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Open and Women’s), and Dota 2. Each competition delivered its special charm, giving us new champions and a WEC to remember.

Medalists:

PUBG MOBILE:

  1. Turkey
  2. Ukraine
  3. Brazil

CS2 Women’s:

  1. Poland
  2. France
  3. Portugal

CS2 Open:

  1. Romania
  2. Portugal
  3. Serbia

MLBB Open:

  1. Malaysia
  2. Philippines
  3. Indonesia

MLBB Women’s:

  1. Indonesia
  2. Cambodia
  3. Egypt

Dota 2:

  1. Greece
  2. Sweden
  3. Turkey

This year’s WEC broke records and set new milestones: the largest CS2 Women’s tournament with a $160,000 prize pool, the debut of the MLBB Women’s category, and a marathon Dota 2 bronze match that won’t be forgotten. Over 480 athletes gave it their all, leaving behind moments that will define the Esports scene for years.

As WEC24 comes to an end, we are thankful to every athlete, national federation, fan, and Esports enthusiast who traveled with us on the Road to Riyadh.

GG once again to Indonesia, our WEC24 Overall Champion! Thank you, Riyadh, for hosting an unforgettable championship. Until next time, see you on the next World Esports Championship journey!

 

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