This is the 3rd installment of eSports Group’s eSports Marketing Playbook. See part 2, here
Impact of Star Power
The often staggeringly large player bases of the more popular eSports titles put top performing professional players in a unique position as influencers. The global popularity of services like Twitch.tv provides top pro gamers with live access to audiences of fans and supporters everywhere. While the result has been celebrity status and cult followings for top digital athletes, some similar to those of traditional sports stars, very little has been done to maximize this reach within a marketing context.
Traditional sport leagues and organizations have benefited greatly from the marketability of top performing players. The notion of sports superstar as global persona with which brands, media and other stakeholders can profitably associate is well entrenched in 21st century nomenclature. The eSports world has yet to leverage similar models, up to this point; where significant challenges lie in addressing disproportionately short lifespans for professional gamers.
Long careers are a rarity, even for elite digital athletes. Additionally, there is a high rate of burnout amongst pro players. Some pundits point to the premium placed on lightning quick reflexes and decision making skills by some eSports, as primary reason that most playing careers are over by the early 20’s. However, evidence points to factors such as instability amongst ownership, lack of proportional income generating opportunities, and the stress of playing year-round playing a larger role than previously assumed.
The reality is, while being elite (top 1% of eSports pros) can pay very well, there is much less for those outside that handful. Players must sacrifice a sizable chunk of their lives to pursue a pro gaming career and, sooner rather than later, the costs outweigh the perks. These short careers are not, in turn, conducive to harnessing the brand of star power on which strong marketing efforts are built.
Examining the eSports Industry
A working definition of the eSports industry must include an outline of its organization. Yet, as with any industry, the only constant variable is change. eSports is no different. There is a tremendous amount of change and maturation taking place, as of the writing of this series. Various segments are still forming, others don’t yet exist, and others will change their shape considerable over the next year or two. The approach here is to outline major factors affecting both the direction and nature of change.
The community as marketplace
The traditional sport industry is built with the consumer at its nexus. Whether it’s the purchase of tickets, sporting equipment, or team merchandise, the goal is to maximize customer spend. Comparatively, a well-defined concept of the eSports consumer does not exist in full. Today it is the community member, not the consumer, at the center of the eSports experience; this persona composes a global assembly of participants, fans and viewers which are the litmus test for marketing success. In turn, the current challenge is innovation around encouraging more commercial activity amongst a strongly non-commercialism backdrop.
However, the eSports community cannot be pigeonholed as consumers too quickly; as this diverse crowd tends to value authenticity and a sense of equitable value exchange over transactional commerce. For example, the 2015 DoTA 2 International was able to rake in more than $16 million through the sale of its compendium. Many were quick in labeling funds as “gifting” or crowdfunding, but it maintained key characteristics of commerce; providing an effective model for the structure of an eSports marketplace.
A great deal of the compendium’s success stemmed from community members being able to: relate their purchase(s) to a cause (25% of the proceeds went to the prize pool), receive meaningful (digital) items in return, and do so in conjunction with fellow community members (social connection). In essence, DoTA 2’s publisher, Valve, successfully created a digital marketplace with crowdfunding elements. Obviously, the excitement and build-up leading up to the preeminent DoTA 2 tournament aided tremendously. Nonetheless, elements from Valve’s model must be considered as effective tactics for invigorating an eSports marketplace.
The eSports Marketing Playbook continues with part 4, here.
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Alex Fletcher is founder & president at eSports Group, where he helps customers meet their eSports advisory & consulting needs. When Alex isn’t glued to a screen, he spends time with his wife, their two dogs, and pretends to learn Polish. Feel free to stalk him on Twitter – @FletchUnleashed