eSports is a sector that has grown rapidly in recent years. With annual revenue of $130m back in 2012, it had shot up to $865m by 2018. With eSports insiders expecting it to top $1bn in 2019, it is clear that this is an industry on the up. As more brands invest money to be involved and it becomes more widely known around the globe, it is likely to become even more popular in the future.

As with all growing industries, eSports is always looking to partner with new sectors, companies or brands to widen its appeal. This can be seen in how specialist bookmakers now allow you to place sports bets on eSports games, as in traditional sports. CSGO betting is very popular here with people backing the team that they think will win on Counter Strike: Global Offensive.

Recent news from within the sector confirms that those in charge of this very modern sport are finding other new and interesting ways to expand.

Disney and eSports = Childhood Wonder

Mars Media has recently confirmed that its May 2019 Dota 2 Major championship will be held in the most wondrous of places, Disneyland Paris. Well-known as being the place for that magical Disney charm in Europe, it is a real place of childhood delight. It is also not bad if you are an adult who takes your kids there!

This fourth Dota 2 Major of the 18/19 DPC season is pencilled in to happen from May 4-12, 2019. This is also big news as it will be the first MDL held outside of China. Where this is interesting for the whole eSports market, though, is what it could bring in its wake.

Will more eSports events make use of similar settings?

Among the general comments from Mars Media was one very exciting quote about “looking forward to collaborating with Disneyland Paris which marks our first, but not last, foray into the western eSports market.” What could this mean for the industry overall?

• Access to younger age groups – one positive effect that using these kinds of settings for major eSports events is exposing younger fans to the sport from an earlier age. This could help the whole sport attract and retain many more fans than they currently have. It will also help eSports to retain loyal fans as they make the transition into adulthood. The many millions of fans that this could bring across all demographics when it has played out could be huge for the sector.
• Positive effect on eSports’ image – places such as Disneyland Paris are widely adored by everyone and seen as trustworthy, safe locations. By setting events in places like this, eSports will see some of this rub off on it. Although the industry does not have an image problem, any kind of extra goodwill is always handy when trying to grow further. It will simply allow it to show the general public what is involved in a setting where they feel comfortable.
• Big footfall – it is not only showcasing eSports to the younger audience that using places such as Disneyland Paris could help with – the footfall at locations like this is huge and will allow eSports to reach people of all ages who might not know about it or come across it usually. Once they see how great online sports is and understand what is involved, they are more likely to become fans and get involved.
• Bigger, more popular events – a really great impact on eSports events from using childhood theme parks or similar is how it could make them more attractive to attend. The very nature of children’s theme parks means that they are easy to get to, family-friendly, and have nice hotels to stay in close by. All this would make eSports events even more popular than they are now and help the sector to stage bigger and better events.

Help eSports get a big mainstream presence

While eSports is undoubtedly globally popular, partnering with iconic names such as Disneyland could really help it go mainstream. This, in turn, could help other big brands make their minds up to invest in the sector and pump more money into the industry. From TV coverage of big eSports events to mainstream reporting on teams, this could be a great way into prime time for the sport.

eSports and magical childhood locations

As eSports looks to continue its stellar growth, partnerships with iconic brand names across different sectors are vital. This will help the sport to gain global recognition with the average person who may not be into tech or watching eSports online already. As a tool to help expand, this could be the start of something amazing for all involved.

What do you think of the growth of eSports? Let us know in the comments below.

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