May 18, 2015

The computer gaming industry is big business.  Celebrities are recognising the profit making potential of adding their name to a game, Britney Spears being the latest celeb to announce her official mobile game. The UK is a strong player in this field, boasting world renowned games such as Grand Theft Auto and Moshi Monsters. Indeed, in 2014 the UK was estimated to be the fifth largest video game market in terms of consumer revenues, after the US, China, Japan and Germany (Newzoo). Now the phenomenon of eSports is also spreading to the UK.  eSports is organised, competitive computer gaming.  No longer simply a past-time for teenagers in their bedroom, gaming today has a far broader appeal. In March this year the UK’s first live eSports arena opened in west London. With a spectator capacity of over 600, it offers fans the chance to watch weekly tournaments live. According to figures from Newzoo’s 2015 Global Growth of Esports Report, there are 205 million people globally who watch eSport. Clearly with such a following there is great potential for generating revenue from sponsorship, advertising, broadcasting and betting as well as live events. But is it a sport? Last month heralded the news that the International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) has partnered with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for the “Athletics for a Better World Project”, a community investment programme that aims to change the lives of young people through sport. For the IAAF the partnership offers the chance to use technology to engage with more young people, and for IeSF, the association with a well respected sporting organisation supports IeSF’s aim of promoting eSport as a serious competitive sport. There are signs eSports has gained this status already: in the US, ESPN, the sports focused cable network, has started covering live tournaments, despite criticism from some of its own commentators. Furthermore, eSports is not simply a hobby but instead has become a profession for the very best gamers, who can make a living from the significant prize money up for grabs at tournaments around the world (top players are reported to earn upwards of $1m a year). There is undoubtedly much skill and training involved for those at the top, and with a fan base growing year on year, eSports is gaining traction as a sport. So maybe playing FIFA and playing football aren’t so different after all.