Introduction and Background In its statement published at the end of last year regarding the disciplinary action taken against Alexey Shyshko, the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) pronounced that Shyshko’s actions had “tarnished the reputation of esports as a whole” and “threatened the very foundation of fair competition in esports”.[1] ESIC’s public statement accompanied a lifetime … Continue Reading
As Sports Shorts reported last month, many ‘traditional’ sports have turned to esports during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to maintain engagement with fans while their own competitions have been cancelled or postponed. However, esports can be vulnerable to scandal in much the same way as regular sports. In this blog, we will look at … Continue Reading
Last year, Sports Shorts reported on the opportunities for football clubs looking to get involved in the world of esports. Recent news indicates that other footballing stakeholders are also alive to these opportunities; earlier this month Real Madrid and Wales star Gareth Bale launched a new esports team called ‘Ellevens Esports’. Bale co-founded the new … Continue Reading
For some people, the idea of watching someone else play a video game holds no appeal whatsoever. However, watching eSports is becoming an increasingly popular activity for millennials and Generation Z with viewing figures rivalling some traditional sports. As the audience for eSports grows, so do the revenues created by the industry. According to recent … Continue Reading
Many readers will be aware that Sports Shorts has been tracking the development of esports over the last 18 months, particularly its journey towards possible inclusion within the Olympic Movement. In September 2016, we looked at the relatively recent ‘explosion’ of esports in Europe and the US, the emergence of new governing bodies, and some … Continue Reading
In April, following the announcement by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) that eSports was to become an official medial sport at the 2022 Asian Games in China, Sports Shorts asked “does eSports have a place in the Olympic movement?” Today, the answer seems to be inching further towards ‘yes’, as Tony Estanguet, co-president of … Continue Reading
This week it was announced that eSports is to become an official medal sport at the 2022 Asian Games. This follows a “strategic partnership” between the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and Alisports, the eSports arm of e-commerce organisation Alibaba. eSports is also due to feature in the programme of the 2017 Asian Indoor and … Continue Reading
Last month, Sports Shorts blogged about the rise in popularity of eSports and the wealth of commercial opportunities this presents. In the intervening weeks, eSports has again hit the headlines on both sides of the Atlantic. In the US, the NBA’s 76ers have purchased two eSports teams (Dignitas and Apex), and market research company Newzoo … Continue Reading
This morning, a panel at the Sport Industry Breakfast Club (featuring Wouter Sleijffers, CEO of Fnatic; Chester King, CEO of International eGames Group; and Hannes Kranich of DraftKings) discussed the growth of the eSports industry and the opportunities it presents. The consensus was that the eSports market still has a huge amount of commercial potential. Whilst eSports is … Continue Reading