Despite being in its formative stages, the global Esports industry is pulling in annual revenues of $1.1 billion, with analysts predicting a six-fold growth over the next six years. Currently, North America accounts for 40% of the market, and so far, over one hundred US high schools have started Esports programs. Scholarships for those who achieve excellence in this field are available, as The University of California Irvine is one of many higher-education institutions that offer them for gaming prodigies.
So, the question is not if Esports will take off in the US, but when will it become competitive with regular sports? There is no doubt that the US Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018 provided this industry a boost. It allowed states to regulate sports betting, and post-legalization, sports betting in Indiana and other places surged in popularity. One of the crucial aspects as to why this occurred is online sportsbooks accepting Esports bets. Subsequently, the ability to wager on these events also contributed to the growth of video gaming.
Estimates claim that out of the projected worldwide 295 million eSports viewers in 2023, 46 million will be US residents. However, that is still less than a third of the numbers generated by live sports. In a decade, the Esports figure will be far more competitive due to the rise of platforms such as YouTube Gaming and Twitch.
Recent Trends in US Esports
In the past few years, franchised leagues have become the norm in North America. They allow pro teams and organizers to work together and create money-making opportunities for both sides. Such a trend in this field first appeared in China. In this model, an organizer offers spots to specific teams to participate in its league. Each one comes with a price. Once a member, sponsorship deals and advertising support from the organizer become available. An example of this in traditional sports is the NHL, and in the Esports sphere is the North American NA League of Legends Championship Series.
Another hot trend is emphasizing live events. Casuals mostly play online, but premier tournaments happen in-person. Such events help teams better market themselves to audiences. Massive brands are also gaining a foothold in this sector. MasterCard and State Farm are two notable brands that sponsor US Esports Leagues in the US. All this has led to initiatives that aim to change laws, which would better regulate this industry around the country.
Most-Played Esports Games in the US
It may come as a surprise, but Counter-Strike is the most popular pro team game in the US. More than 140 professional squads specialize in this first-person shooter. They have taken home close to $6 million playing it. Blizzard’s Overwatch is the second most popular team game in North America. The overall earned prize money on it in the US is slightly higher than that made on Counter-Strike.
When looking at individual US players, Blizzard’s StarCrat II dominates, with over 240 professionals that have earned $1.6 million playing it on a competitive level. However, the money king is Dota 2 as earnings-wise, it crushes the competition in both individual and team play. Dota 2 teams have earned six times more than Counter-Strike ones.
