Sports have been popular for thousands of years, dating back to some of the earliest civilizations. But as technology has evolved, we have seen the birth of a new form of sport: Esports. These aren’t based on physical prowess; instead, Esports are centered on the ability to play video games at the highest possible level. And while this has existed for decades, Esports are now rising to become a part of the mainstream.
Esports isn’t just something played by a few people. Esports games are played at stadiums, broadcast to millions, and wagered on at the best betting sites Canada. For all intents and purposes, Esports is a legitimate sport with numerous professional leagues covering games ranging from CS:GO and League of Legends to NBA 2K. Let’s look at some of the ways Esports has grown to become a global phenomenon.
Celebrity Backers
For a period, it appeared that most of the interest in Esports was centered around people who religiously play video games. But if that was ever the case, it isn’t anymore. Esports is a legitimate business, a full-fledged league with investors from around the world. In fact, many of these investors are huge celebrities. There are many notable celebrities who have seen the potential of Esports; some celebrity investors include Drake, Mark Cuban, Will Smith, Michael Jordan, and David Beckham. These famous superstars also help to promote Esports to a wider audience, spreading and growing the sport.
Major Stadiums
Esports initially started as a sport without a home. While there would be tournaments and events, they would be held at less-heralded locations, and there wouldn’t be many places specifically designed for hosting video game events. This has changed dramatically. There are now many different locations that are built for Esports. To see the growth of the sport, look no further than Esports Stadium Arlington. A 100,000-square-foot stadium that can host 2,500, this stadium is the largest dedicated Esports facility in North America. It has hosted an array of live Esports events.
Massive Salaries
Another sign of the growth of Esports is the fact that it has become a viable profession. Competing in video games was not a lucrative career for a long period of time, with most tournaments having limited cash prizes that were only given to a select few. This has shifted dramatically. Esports athletes are very well compensated for their skills. Look only at N0tail, who has earned more than $3.75 million in his Esports career just from tournament payouts. When you factor in streaming and endorsements, the profit these Esports athletes can generate is astronomical.
More People Playing Games Than Ever and the Rise of Twitch
The biggest change that has spawned the growth of Esports is the surge in popularity of gaming in general. The number of people who play video games grows significantly every year, growing from two billion in 2015 to 3 billion in 2022. As casual gaming becomes more popular, so too does professional gaming. And the rise of Twitch, with popular streamers who play games for live audiences that can number in the tens of thousands, just shows that now there is a big market for watching others play games. This wasn’t something that existed until around the last decade, but now, there is clearly a huge amount of interest in watching the best players do their thing.
Esports Betting
Another thing that shows off the legitimacy of Esports is how it has become a significant part of the sports betting world. Fans aren’t just watching these events; they are wagering on them, much like they do with other sports. There are even specific sports betting sites that prioritize the Esports market. That is a big deal. On just about every major betting site, you can now find odds on the biggest Esports tournaments. This is also something that helps draw in fans that are more casual gamers or less predisposed to watching Esports events. Betting is a big draw, and now most betting sites cover the growing game.
A Future Global Powerhouse
All signs seem to indicate that Esports is only going to continue to grow in popularity. It is popular in markets of the world that range from Korea and Brazil to Canada and the United States. With the number of people who play video games growing and the sport becoming more mainstream due to celebrity investors, new stadiums, and sports betting opportunities, the arrow is only pointing up for Esports. In the past decade alone, we’ve seen so much growth in the sport. It is hard to imagine what the next decade will hold. All signs seem to indicate a massive continued development for Esports.