This is the 6th installment of eSports Group’s eSports Marketing Playbook. See part 5, here.

The eSports experience is shared by a rising number of enthusiasts across the globe. Consumption of eSports crosses a dizzying array of cultures, socio-economic brackets and regions. In order to grasp this global appeal, it’s imperative to highlight the dynamics of why people consume eSports.

One of the most compelling aspects of competitive video games is an uncomplicated opportunity structure. Whereas physical sports are heavily dependent on environmental factors, e.g. regional preferences, today’s highly interconnected world has abstracted a variety of barriers for eSports consumption. For one, a fully digital backdrop obfuscates differences in climatic and geographic conditions. Furthermore, eSports combine key attractants from physical sports into an easily consumed digital experience; one that resonates with enthusiasts across the world. As such, individual factors play heavily into determining involvement and commitment to eSports.

Open doors across the world

eSports is characterized by high engagement for youth across the globe. Unlike physical sports which require adult supervision and/or significant parental authorization, competitive gaming is accessible to a large majority of young people on their own time. Games can be played without expensive equipment, the need for transportation and coaches/referees. Widespread high speed internet access has driven the popularity of free-to-play (F2P) games, which have further dismantled (price) barriers for video game play. And with popular eSport titles available on commodity PC platforms, competitive gaming is as close to an equal opportunity activity as any in today’s world.

Most importantly, the path to proficiency in eSports can be traveled without formal training. The lack of organization at the amateur level, a perceived weakness, actually serves to democratize skill development and galvanize engagement levels. Basically, the eSports opportunity structure is a meritocracy. This is an incredibly important factor in maintaining a strong enthusiast following as fans feel closer to highest levels of play.

Figure 1 – Image courtesy of Gamespot.com

Even the storylines for top pro players reflect a trajectory that’s more relatable for the average eSport consumer. For example, Sumail “Suma1L” Hassan Syed is a 16 year old pro player for North American team, Evil Geniuses. Originally from Pakistan, Mr. Syed moved to a suburb of Chicago with his parents and six siblings. However, his talents allowed him to qualify to play in an off-season competition for professional players, after just a few months in the USA. Sumail was then scouted and signed by Evil Geniuses, with whom he’s earned an estimated $1.6 million USD in 2015, his rookie year. Marketing can benefit from this flatter, less hierarchal landscape by capitalizing on accessibility and built-in affinity.

Motivation

The motivation to consume eSports is framed along lines of active participation and involvement. Marketers must realize that eSports are far more than watching others play and avoid casting target audiences as passive consumers. Instead the inspiration to watch is often spurred by a passion for playing the video game title itself. EEDAR’s 2015 eSports Consumer Analysis Whitepaper showed that, amongst fans in North America, improving their own gameplay and watching when unable to play were the second and third leading reasons to watch eSports. See figure 2, below.

Figure 2 – Courtesy of EEDAR eSports Consumer Analysis Whitepaper 2015

Likewise, the notion of improving one’s craft is a key motivating factor for eSports consumption. Where numerous studies show that fans of traditional sports tend to experience an elevation in mood when their team wins, developing skill is a main prompt for interest in eSports. When combined with a learning curve that is less exclusive, e.g. more types of people can attain proficiency; the prospect of learning a new skill is very attractive. Plus the chance to watch stars exhibit elite skill is a guaranteed draw for viewers.

Despite an array of leading factors, it isn’t entirely clear what specifically activates eSport involvement. In that light, there is room for conclusive research to reveal more data points. However, it is clear that physical characteristics and abilities play a very small role in eSport participation. The emphasis on body types and physical skill, so prevalent in traditional sports, are basically non-existent in eSports; this represents a significant opportunity for advertisement content. Since, regardless of the elite skill exhibited by top performers, competitive gaming does not require deity-like physical features. For example, people with forms of physical disabilities can effectively compete without significant hindrance. As a result, wider audiences can be drawn into the marketing mix.

Entertainment, fun and festival

Video games are already a leading form of entertainment for younger audiences. Therefore, it fits that the sport narrative drawn by competitive gaming also offers an attractive form entertainment. However, “the revolution will not be televised.” In its place, live streaming is the predominant form of broadcast. Led by platforms like Twitch.tv and YouTube, television is behind the growth curve. This offers a challenge for marketing as web-based streaming/video is still an unfamiliar landscape. A new set of strategies must be crafted to better navigate this domain.

Despite roots in the digital world, live eSports events are valuable properties. Modern Times Group recently acquired DreamHack, a leading eSports company and organizer of the world’s largest digital festivals – DreamHack Summer and DreamHack Winter in Sweden, for $28 million USD. DreamHack runs both local and global eSports leagues, tournaments and championships. The Scandinavian company’s seven live events in 2014 attracted a total audience of over 105,000 people. Live events offer channels more familiar to marketers accustomed to the traditional sports world, but remain mostly untapped.

As the number of eSports enthusiasts swell, expect a significant rise in these digital festivals over the course of 2016. Regardless of the venue, the challenge for marketing professionals remains in understanding what compels eSport participation and consumption. Without this baseline, success in reaching the community will be hard to attain.

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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