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How to Get Into Esports Part 1: A Recap

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Esports is rapidly growing and becoming a crucial part of both the entertainment and education sectors. During this week’s LAVNCH & LEARN, Gary Kayye talks about how to delve into the world of esports, but most importantly, why you should. To find out more about the opportunities esports present for AV professionals, be sure to watch the entire event on demand here.

Gary begins by detailing the size of the esports industry, and proves why the market potential is so big. The esports market is expected to see a 46% growth in 2024 compared to 2023, mostly because of its expansion into colleges and athletic programs. With a global market size of $2.7 billion and 335 million players and viewers, esports is quickly becoming a dominant force. To put this into perspective, the overall gaming market is valued at $187 billion, making it twice the size of Hollywood’s entire film industry (including concessions)!

He then discussed the main difference between traditional gaming and esports, which is the level of involvement and investment. He explained that while gaming generates more revenue, esports is specifically designed around competition and audience engagement.

During the pandemic, esports gained a large following because that was the only sport that was being televised, as tournaments could take place without compromising anyone’s health. Virtual NASCAR races were able to maintain 60-80% of the typical viewership for live events.

One of our guests, Kevin Diltz, business development manager at Extron, explained that “esports uses live, rental, permanent installation, traditional AV and AV-over-IP.” For AV professionals, this represents a chance to innovate by helping schools and organizations understand not only how to set up esports systems, but also how to fund and sustain them; esports is unique in that it integrates multiple AV systems into one event.

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Gary described four important stakeholders of the esports industry, what each of them needs, and what they expect from their individual AV experiences:

  • Gamers – Their stream cannot have any delay, they must receive information in real-time.
  • Live spectators – Their stream needs to be slightly delayed to prevent players from receiving tips from the audience.
  • Referees/Observers – Their stream shouldn’t be delayed, but it is less crucial for this to be in real-time than the gamers’ stream.
  • Streaming Audiences – This isn’t live, but it must be compatible to stream on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.

With 25%+ growth each year since 2022, esports is definitely not slowing down anytime soon. Colleges, including over 120 with varsity esports teams, are jumping on the bandwagon. Major gaming companies are also investing in college tournaments, which incentivizes more colleges to start esports programs.

That’s all I have for this recap, but to hear more about how esports have also impacted students in K-12, and how schools have transformed different spaces into gaming arenas, check out the entire event on demand here, and stay tuned for part 2!

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