The role of e-sports organisations and their impact on the industry
Elen StelmakhIn the digital age of the world, many industries have spread their wings. Incredible progress has been made by the streaming platform industry, as well as by the online gambling industry, as online casinos are nowadays very innovative and their availability stands at a very high level, as can be easily seen by visiting Roulette77. E-sports, the world of digital gaming competition, has also been affected by huge advances.
E-sports, which not so long ago was rather a niche, is today an extremely dynamic industry that is attracting worldwide interest and in which there is huge money to be made. Undoubtedly, one of the most significant aspects that shapes the e-sports landscape and drives the entire development of the industry is the e-sports organisations.
They are often compared to traditional sports teams, as they play a multi-faceted role that goes far beyond simply competing in games. They influence many key areas of the industry, from branding to talent development to the financial stability aspect. They are the foundation of the e-sports industry and have a profound impact on how it operates.
Marketing and branding
One of the most significant areas in which e-sports organisations play a key role is in the area of branding. Their role in this area is not just limited to building their own brand image, but to creating and enhancing the image of the industry as a whole. Organisations that create strong, distinctive brands can effectively attract sponsors and various strategic partnerships. Moreover, by doing so, they can create an extensive, loyal fan base that will be with the team for better or worse. They also become a kind of synonym for excellence and a trendsetter when it comes to eSports, which can increase engagement from the audience.
The key to creating such a strong image is, of course, not only the good performance of the team, but above all the right marketing strategy. The marketing efforts of e-sports organisations today are wide-ranging and cover many areas, including running social media, preparing their merchandise, i.e. various types of gadgets for fans, as well as creating engaging content. Content creation is of course key here, as various types of interviews, behind-the-scenes footage or live broadcasts are something that fans expect and can effectively build a narrative around the whole thing and individual players.
Creating a distinct e-sports brand is therefore a component of many activities and can have multi-faceted benefits. It can help maintain engagement among fans, and it also allows you to reach new audiences, which translates into expanding the reach of e-sports. In the e-sports industry, we have a number of organisations that have managed to build very strong, recognisable global brands, the most popular of which include:
- TSM,
- Fnatic,
- FaZe Clan,
- G2 Esports,
- Cloud9.
Talent development and management
Another very important role of e-sports organisations is the aspect of developing and managing talent, or e-sports players. It is the responsibility of e-sports organisations to identify talent, looking for talented players, just like in real sports. They then have to nurture and manage this talent effectively, i.e. provide the conditions for training and improving skills, as well as appropriate contracts and sound financial conditions. With such a "back office" in place, the player need not worry, but can concentrate 100% on playing and honing his talent to continually improve his performance and be able to compete at the highest level, bringing glory to his team.
Proper team management is a key issue for e-sports organisations today. To this end, they invest a lot of money creating specialised, professional coaching staff. Today's teams have their own coaches, as well as a number of analysts who are in charge of developing coaching and action strategies. What's more, this management goes beyond strictly e-sports, as organisations also take care of their players in terms of keeping them mentally and physically fit. They also take care of the public speaking aspect and often help with the private affairs of e-sports players.
This professional approach of e-sports organisations has translated into many benefits for the industry as a whole. Thus, teams today are at an extremely high level, as players can fully focus on training and playing, which puts the competition in e-sports at a very high level, making it even more exciting for the audience.
Financial stability and growth of the industry
E-sports organisations are a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to ensuring financial stability - and not just for themselves, but for the industry as a whole. They need to take care of sponsorship issues by trying to establish profitable partnerships with strategic brands. This allows them to easily fund their team's operations, i.e. ensuring adequate salaries for the players, as well as proper training facilities and logistical issues, i.e. travelling to tournaments and bootcamps, among other things.
By being able to maintain financial stability and striving to get an influx of funds from an ever-increasing number of sources, financial organisations ensure that the industry as a whole becomes 'richer'. For the most part, this money stays in the e-sports ecosystem, so when e-sports organisations manage their finances well, this can translate into larger prize pools at tournaments, as well as the development of e-sports infrastructure, i.e. the emergence of various gaming houses or specialised training facilities.
Furthermore, a professional approach to e-sports organisation management supports the sustainability of the entire industry. When organisations operate according to industry standards and apply ethical practices towards players, other organisations and those outside the e-sports world, they thereby build a credible environment for everyone: players, fans and investors. In doing so, they increase interest in the e-sports industry in many areas, which is an obvious catalyst for its growth.
Elen Stelmakh is a creative individual dedicated to advancing gaming culture through articles and visual design. As a full-time EGamersWorld author and designer for a gaming website, Elen not only creates content but also infuses it with energy and creativity.