According to Newzoo's Global eSports Market Report, 24% of people who follow football - the most popular Brazilian sport - are between 10 and 20 years old. When talking about those who attend an eSports tournament, the number almost doubles, 43%. Globally, the market moved US$1.1 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach US$1.5 billion this year.
One of the factors that draws the most attention, however, is the audience, which reaches numbers that not even the most traditional sports can. In 2019, the final of the League of Legends World Cup - one of the most well-known tournaments in the world - registered an incredible 99.6 million viewers. In the same year, the number of people who watched the electronic game championships was 453.8 million, an increase of 16.3% in one year. In Brazil, there was a 20% growth in audience last year, with 21.2 million viewers, thus becoming the third largest audience in the world, behind only China and the United States.
“The eSports market has grown exponentially, but this is not a new phenomenon. Proof of this is Twitch, founded in 2011, and acquired by Amazon three years later in a negotiation of US$970 million, such an influence of this segment in the world since then,” says Pedro Oliveira, co-founder of OutField Consulting, consultancy focused on the business of sport and entertainment.
According to a survey by consultancy PwC, the national game market is expected to grow by an average of 5.3% by 2022. Adding console and PC games to mobile games, the total revenue of digital games in Brazil for the same year is estimated at more than US$1.75 billion, a growth of over US$ 250 million.
“Tournaments attract millions of people and remain on the rise even with the pandemic. This is because the competitions had their origin in the online world and we are dealing with platforms that naturally have a strong engagement from their participants,” analyzes the expert.
The attractiveness of the market is such that traditional football clubs, such as Flamengo, Corinthians, Santos and Cruzeiro are already in electronic sports. Not only the clubs, but other leading companies have already seen the potential of this market such as Intel, Coca-Cola, RedBull, Netshoes, Submarino, Kalunga, BMW, Unilever, Lupo and Vivo. However, there is still much to be explored.
“Several brands, mainly from outside the sports segment, still do not see how they can contribute and be present within this scenario. Most, in fact, don't even think about getting closer, considering that this is a market that is still far from their reality,” points out Oliveira. With the country having such a promising scenario, many companies can focus on differentiated products and collaborate with Brazilian fans who will be able to count on more and more options to follow their favorite eSports in the coming years.
Source: GMB / vgBR
