You’re probably tired of hearing about how “esports are quickly becoming an industry unto themselves” and not aren’t just a “niche hobbyist activity” anymore. However, considering that Shaq has invested in an esports team and TBS will now be hosting live competitive matches, it really is clear that the industry is growing rapidly, and people are realizing its popularity. But how many people know more about esports than just the fact that it exists? Even non-football fans have heard of Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, but how many non-esports fans have heard of Cloud9 or Martin “Rekkles” Larsson?
As with all industries, advertising follows the money. Anyone with even just a passing interest in competitive gaming has seen countless Razer advertisements, and sponsorships from energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster. But have you heard of Corsair? Turtle Beach? Probably not, despite these brands sharing spots with Razer on multiple “top ten” lists for gaming gear.
Esports has hit such a mainstream level that now even clickbait articles like “8 Ways to Reach the esports Consumer Today” are prevalent, boasting advice on how brands can “take a bite out of the esports pie.” Huge brands like Coke Zero and Red Bull are forming partnerships with esports organizations, seeing the value in the booming industry. I mean, it might soon be an Olympic sport. But there are plenty of individu“Husky” Lamond is an esports commentator who runs an insanely popular YouTube channel with over 850,000 followers.
Day[9], another famous StarCraft commentator and former professional StarCraft player, was described by The New Yorker as “arguably the most beloved figure in StarCraft, if not all of e-sports.” Despite the immeasurable amount of fame and recognition these commentators have within the esports community, they are utterly unknown by anyone outside of it.
Sasha “Scarlett” Hostyn is a transgender female who is arguably the best non-Korean StarCraft 2 player in the world. She has even gone so far as to become a rival of the highest paid esports player in history, Jaedong. As the esports scene becomes more mainstream and less of a boys’ club, and with trailblazers like Scarlett, we can expect that women will be just as much a part of it as men.
Some players and teams are very popular with a particular brand, or are media darlings in general. It is important to know this fact when betting on esports, as well. Just because some players are much more well-known doesn’t always mean you’re safe putting your money on them. They could just have a very popular YouTube channel, or have a particularly charming persona, making them more easily marketable. For this reason, it is important for veteran teams and players to focus more on branding to let their best players be seen as such, and not slip by more or less unnoticed.
Branding in esports is playing a big part in shaping the industry, and will continue to do so. As something that many people still don’t take seriously, proper branding of the scene and its participants will pave the way for esports becoming an unstoppable juggernaut not dissimilar from football and the Super Bowl.
