For others, esports – competitive gaming broadcast live to millions across the world – may appear to have emerged out of nowhere.
In reality, it’s been around for far longer than you may imagine, with the first organized event reported to have taken place in the United States in 1972.
New companies have emerged, providing esports enthusiasts with a new feel of the sport. Asians have a wide array of options, for example, Vwin betting is one of the most popular platforms for esports and traditional sports.
With gamers frequently competing for millions of dollars in front of large crowds and reports that younger fans are losing interest in conventional sports, one esports executive believes it’s time for the old guard to pay attention.
“If traditional companies don’t understand why video games are the largest entertainment industry in the world right now, then there has to be a shift,” says Carlos Rodriguez, who is the CEO and founder of G2 Esports.
G2 has won the European League of Legends eight times and also competes in games like Fortnite, Rainbow 6, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
On Instagram, the team has over a million followers.
In comparison to traditional sports, Carlos feels esports clubs do a better job of generating online content to keep young fans entertained and connected with their brands.
Carlos explains, “We just keep trying new things.”
Reality TV shows, live streaming, digital films, and comic books are among the new items. Esports teams rely on current media tactics to stay in touch with their followers, and it appears to be working.
According to data, 439 million people watched esports events throughout the world last year, rising 10% from the previous year.
Traditional sports, according to Carlos, are overly reliant on big names.
“If you get LeBron James tomorrow as a player, you don’t have to create a single piece of content about your team.
“You will automatically sell millions of jerseys. Period.
“We very often get compared with traditional sports teams, and I think that comparison does a disservice to what an esports organisation really is about.”
As the leader of an esports team, it’s only natural for Carlos to feel passionate about the job his sector is doing, and it’s true that esports has been steadily increasing in recent years.
Traditional sports, on the other hand, continue to dominate in terms of viewership, sponsorship, and cultural relevance.
Every year, more than 100 million people across the world tune in to watch the Super Bowl, the Premier League sold its broadcast rights for more than four billion pounds in 2018, and the United Kingdom comes to a halt on Wimbledon finals day.
Traditional sports, such as boxing, are changing to appeal to new followers by substantially investing in digital material for viewers to watch.
Major organizers have teamed together with YouTube stars like Jake Paul to bring a new generation of fans to the sport.
Carlos is certain that football and basketball clubs must adapt to how a new generation of sports fans has grown up “watching YouTubers and pro players in front of their eyes.”
“If traditional companies don’t understand how the new audiences relate to content, if they don’t understand why video games are the largest entertainment industry in the world right now, there has to be a shift,” he says.
“It’s a matter of time, right? But the longer the traditional sports industry waits to adapt, the tougher it’s going to be to upgrade and update themselves.”
