In 2020, BT signed a deal to exclusively sponsor British eSports group Excel eSports. You might be familiar with BT’s involvement in real-world sport, but what about the world of virtual sport?
eSports, or electronic sports, refers to competitive video game tournaments for professional players. Some might assume that this is a recent craze, but competitive gaming has attracted audiences since the 70s and 80s, when trailblazing games like Space Invaders had gamers competing for the highest score.
The noughties saw a big increase in the popularity of eSports, with technological advances like streaming allowing for spectatorship on an international scale. Now, eSports tournaments regularly fill stadiums and professional players make millions.
And the eSports industry is continuing to grow, with huge sums generated from media rights, advertising and sponsorship deals like BTs.
Streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube are where most fans get their eSports fill, but there are also approximately 600 major eSports events that generate tens of millions in ticket revenues every year. By 2025, the eSports market is expected to be worth 2.4 bn.
For the latest news on eSports, head over to the BT Sport eSports page: eSports | The Latest eSports News | BT Sport.
Are you an eSports fan or even a player? Want to hear more on competitive gaming? Let us know here.
^SamG
