Episode 9

For many of us, the idea of playing video games for a living is as far-fetched as traveling to the moon, founding a $1 billion company or scaling Mt. Everest barefoot. The reality, however, is that being a gamer is very much a career option, and the business of competitive video gaming, or esports, is booming.

While the premise of video game competitions has been around for decades, the business of esports is still relatively young. That said, it’s growing quickly. An analysis from the Financial Times late last year cited industry forecasts claiming that the overall games industry is on pace to exceed $100 billion in revenue this year, with more than $690 million coming from esports.

Brand sponsorships that tap into esports are ramping up. From 2016 through the middle of 2017, more than 600 esports sponsorship agreements were made. From a brand perspective, a big part of the allure of esports is the ability to tap into an engaged and young audience. And that audience, while predominantly Millennial male today, is growing more diverse each year.

The good news for brands is that these esports fans are open to brand involvement. Nielsen research has found that just 10% express negative sentiment toward brand involvement.

This episode of The Database delves into the world of esports. We get insight into the overall competitive gaming landscape, where it’s growing, discuss who the fans are, where those fans are engaging with esports, what the opportunities are for brands, and even get a sense of what it’s like to be a professional gamer.

Our guests include Nicole Pike, Gina Katzmark, Nathan Lindberg, Quynn and Casey Thibodeau, and Shawn Win.