Today, we’re not just changing gears in our blog, we’re changing the entire mode of transportation. For those who are unaware of what eSports are and what it’s about, I’d like to briefly offer some details to make sure everyone is caught up to speed.
For many years, fans have admired athletes playing professional sports such as Football, Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, etc for the dedication the players have put forth to push their bodies to the limits to work as a team in competitive sports. Without a doubt, these players work to become physically fit, memories strategies and practice for countless hours with their teammates perfecting their craft to be the best they can be at their chosen career. Sports of all types have become multimillion (and sometimes billion) dollar industries because, we, the viewers, are willing to pay to watch these teams go head to head to see “who is the best?”. We spend money not just on the tickets, but on the food while we’re there, parking and paraphernalia. Sports are popular because the viewers vote with their purses and wallets to watch and support it. In a nutshell, the industry exists because the fans want to watch. Although there is still a vast number of people on earth who couldn’t care less about sports, it doesn’t change that the market exists.
This is the premise in which eSports was born. Competitive games such as League of Legends, Starcraft, Overwatch and many others have started to develop much in the same way sports did. When players get serious about the competitive play, they follow a similar path that many athletes do. They study their competition, they practice for 10+ hours every day, master new strategies and constantly adjust to what the meta dictates and ultimately put the same dedication that any sports athlete would. In fact, several organizations make additional time for their players health outside of normal practice, hitting the gym and staying fit because playing a game, although mentally demanding, does not provide what the body needs physically.
The big fact that surprises most is that eSports isn’t just a fad, or something being made up. Viewership has increased year over year by 15%, putting the total viewership by the end of 2019 at an estimated 453.8 million! Based on those numbers, revenue from eSports is expected to exceed a billion dollars for the first time by the end of this year. The other interesting fact is that the average age of eSports viewers is 31 based on the latest Neilson Report.
With all the legitimization for eSports and the fact that we are also fans here at True North Vapor, we are now proudly sponsoring eSports players for their dedication and the entertainment they provide. Where sports athletes push their bodies to the extreme during their careers, eSports professionals focus primarily on mental growth providing many other technological opportunities upon retiring. eSports also creates an even level playing field regardless of body type, as the game is created equal for people of all kinds and instead your mental fortitude and reflexes are tested instead of your strength and endurance. Although gaming is typically associated with solo minded individuals, eSports are significantly more team-centric and requires a high level of communication skills and environmental awareness to be truly successful. This required skill has also made it so that highly skilled players are forced to learn to communicate well with others in order to compete on the highest level.
Even outside of the competitive play, organizations like Games Done Quick run charity events twice a year, donating millions of dollars of proceeds to Doctors Without Boarders and The Prevent Cancer Foundation.
Sports and eSports may not be your thing and that’s perfectly ok. The intention was to provide insight and remove any stigma that may exist with eSports. Much like a sport helps a persons’ physical growth, eSports can help a person with their mental growth. We’re in an age where mental health is just as important as physical health and we want to support that change. We hope you will support it as well.
Cheers,
Tim Howey
General Manager
True North Vapor