With annual global eSports revenues on track to smash through the $1 billion barrier during 2020 these are undoubtedly exciting times for the industry. Increased media coverage, high-profile sponsorship deals and link-ups with traditional sports organisations are amongst the factors powering the growth. This has helped to smooth the path for eSports to shrug off its niche stereotype and cross over seamlessly into popular culture. However, as with any growing industry the landscape is developing rapidly, so read on as we look at three eSports trends to keep an eye on in 2020 and beyond.
Betting boom on the way in eSports
The gambling industry rarely misses a good opportunity to make money and companies within the sector are already beginning to make inroads into eSports. Numerous bookmakers already offer odds on tournaments throughout the year and the free bets list on this page highlights just how popular eSports betting has become. Gambling operators have been offering an increasing number of markets on popular events like the Overwatch World Cup and that trend looks set to continue for the foreseeable future. Lucrative partnerships between betting brands and eSports players and teams are unlikely to be too far away as both sectors strive to leverage future financial opportunities together.
Popularity of mobile eSports keeps rising
Advancements in technology have led to a massive increase in the number of people using mobile devices to play and watch eSports. The development of dedicated mobile apps has sparked rapid growth in new markets such as India, Brazil and South East Asia. eSports audiences have also risen dramatically due to mobile, with the devices generating around 50 million live viewership hours from September to November 2019. With other regions such as Africa and the Middle East also starting to join the eSports party, the figures should continue to skyrocket over the next year.
eSports tourism a growing phenomenon
Cities around the world use events in traditional sports as a way of boosting tourism and thus helping their local economies. This ethos is already being applied to eSports by numerous cities and is expected to be embraced by many more over the coming months. The impact eSports can have on tourism was highlighted perfectly by the 2019 Fortnite World Cup, which attracted an audience of 19,000 people to New York. With events of this nature generally watched by a younger demographic with a healthy percentage of disposable income, it is easy to see why cities will be eager to stage eSports in the future.
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