Esports Isn’t As Sexy As It Once Was
There’s a lot of talk about the stagnation of advertising money in esports, and I’m not surprised.
The industry hasn’t moved quickly enough with mainstream marketing trends and demographics, and it’s filled with people trying to inflate a bubble because it looks good to do so. As a result, sponsors don’t find it an enticing bargain for their marketing dollars anymore.
Let’s be real for a moment:
👉 Advertisers aren’t always looking for impressions. Impressions don’t excite sponsors anymore. It’s about engagement and attention over time, because:
👉 Gen Zs and Gen Alpha prefer bite size or personalised content. TikTok and Reels have changed this almost universally, even in millennials and Gen X.
👉 Community building was once a key attraction for sponsors in esports, and it’s becoming more relevant than ever in gaming. Brands want to know their audience is real and cares about their brand/product.
👉 Esports isn’t as sexy as it once was — other industries have caught up, and brands have found other ways to reach new consumers post-covid.
If you want to read a fantastic article on marketing to Gen Zs (although to be fair this is only part of the problem), check this out:
Conclusions
The value in esports for sponsors is access to these highly valuable demographics, but entering the ecosystem has become stupidly expensive as the cost of teams, salaries, and events skyrocket.
If people want to break into esports and tap into that audience, they need to go back to basics and rethink how they are really getting the attention of fans, then ask themselves: what’s a realistic price I’m willing to pay for this?
If you’d be open to staying up to date with all things esports, please consider following me as I attempt to decipher some of the more complicated aspects of the ecosystem for people of all interest levels!
I’m a 12-year marketing professional and entrepreneur who has experienced nearly every facet of the esports industry. My background in esports spans over 17 years, initially as a competitive player and team manager, then as the Head of Global Esports at Razer and 3 x entrepreneur.
I’m new to writing seriously on Medium and grateful for the opportunity to begin writing for ILLUMINATION and its other publications. My goal is to cast light on the esports industry for anyone who might be wanting to learn more about its history, challenges, history, and opportunities.
Please feel free to connect with me on my website, LinkedIn or Twitter.
