eSports have been on the rise for the past few years, with people from all over the world participating and spectating various events throughout the year. From physical sports’ simulations to video game competitions, by 2024 there are estimated to be over 285 million frequent viewers of eSports worldwide (Gough, 2021). However, the question that remains is whether eSports are a worthy investment as a business, or whether physical sports will remain more popular. Some might argue that in the face of digitalization, as well as the accessibility of eSports, they are the future of all sporting and leisure activities. Furthermore, unlike the elite sports such as the Olympics, eSports appear to be more accessible for the competitors as well. On the other hand, physical sports and in-person spectatorship remain popular, with some studies suggesting that such events improve well-being and life satisfaction (Inoue et al., 2017). Since the success of a business depends largely on the market, the audience making the decision would be the regular spectators of both types of sports. I believe that eSports are the future of the sporting industry. However, some might disagree on account that in-person events, especially after the global pandemic, are likely to be incredibly popular with the general public.
References
Gough, C. (2021). eSports market – Statistics & Facts. Statista. Web.
Inoue, Y., Sato, M., Filo, K., Du, J., & Funk, D. C. (2017). Sport spectatorship and life satisfaction: A multicountry investigation. Journal of Sport Management, 31(4), 419-432.