This document discusses the growing popularity and professionalization of eSports. It notes that youth play more video games than sports and that the percentage of people who play video games increases across generations, with 97% of Gen Z playing video games. The document outlines how streaming platforms like Twitch have enabled players to generate revenue through sponsorships, team salaries, and streaming income. It argues that eSports are catching up to traditional sports in terms of viewership numbers and economics, with leagues, tournaments, and events generating revenue through sponsorships, tickets, merchandise, and content licensing.

1. eSports – Enabling Gaming as a Profession
January 2012

2. Should Parents Approve?

3. Imagine One Day
Equals
Promo Reel

4. Gaming Increasing In Popularity
Gaming
Population 135 million
Tweens,
45-60 year olds 30 Somethings 20 Somethings
Children
Generation Boomers Gen X Millennial Gen Z
% who play video games
15% 30% 50% 97%
Youth play more video games than sports
4
Source: IGN «Are you Game?» Study, 2010

5. New Medium Opens Road To New Stars
Husky
YT Views: 273,396,617
YT Subscriber: 611,657
Day 9
YT Views: 40,692,855
YT Subscriber: 254,982
HD
YT Views: 160,101,881
YT Subscriber: 386,190

6. #1 Sport in Korea
More popular than soccer
20k+ live attendance
700k viewers
Mainstream media buzz

7. E-Sports Global Phenomenon
Europe:
18k live attendance
200k viewers

8. E-Sports Global Phenomenon
USA
•Blizzcon (Anaheim, CA)
USA: •25k attended Starcraft 2 finals
25k live attendance •300K concurrent viewers
300k viewers

9. IPL 3

10. SXSW - Yesterday

11. Catching Up to Traditional Sports
Since inception in April 2011, IGN Pro League has grown rapidly in popularity
150,000 Millions of
Households Viewing
100,000 College football -- 3.8
NBA -- 1.6
50,000
MLB -- 1.6
0 MLS Season -- 0.5
NHL -- 0.4
IPL 1 (Apr) IPL 2 (Jul) IPL 3 (Oct)
MLS Playoff -- 0.2
Concurrent Viewers Unique Visitors (x100)

12. Sample Content
Game Play Pro Tips Venue
Game Hype Promos Top 5 Plays Reality Show
Player Interview eSports News Celebrity Profile

13. League Economics
• Sponsorship
• Ticket sales
• Publisher support
• Merchandising
• Content licensing

14. Player Economics
• Winnings
• Sponsorship
• Team salary
• Streaming

15. How this works for the players

16. How TwitchTV changed the ecosystem
Partner Program – A revenue stream for everyone in the eSports ecosystem,
from players to teams to event organizers and leagues.
• Video Advertising - eSports content is increasingly monetizable
because more of the content is premium, video ads are growing as part
of advertiser spend, and the audience has grown to critical mass
• Alternative revenue models:
• PPV - large events can charge a premium for their content, just as you see on
traditional television
• Subscription – viewers can subscribe to their favorite channels on a monthly basis to
get access to ad-free viewing and other features
Technology
• HD, globally distributed live video – for FREE

17. Why streaming is compelling
• It’s easy to do
• It’s interactive
• It’s interesting
• It’s turning work into…work!

18. Community Snapshot
“An eSports Personality?
Howdja’ get that job?”

19. Community Snapshot
eSports Offers:
• Compelling and varied personalities
• Fast paced career with diverse opportunities
• A chance to be part of “the beginning”
• A place in a very powerful and unique community

20. Q&A