Profiling Esports Viewers The Synergy of Spend, Ad Receptiveness and Engagement

20,000 Foot View: As live events have halted, attracting non-endemic brands to esports via digital content has moved to the forefront for esports companies. But attracting the largest brands often requires close-to-mainstream demographic reach and a similar socioeconomic make-up. Esports viewers are not quite there yet. However, they do display a set of specifically attractive characteristics such as high spending across all entertainment, significantly higher-than-average tolerance to digital advertising and an increased likelihood to follow brands online. Per head, esports viewers are arguably one of the most valuable emerging consumer segments out there. This justifies involvement in the field by large brands early, despite the current niche penetration rate. 

Key Insights:

• As of                       of            year old consumers watch            monthly across the US, UK,            Australia, France and Germany
• Esports viewers            younger and male, with            of            viewers being male and            less                       years old
• Esports viewers            more likely to be high                       have an annual income of            than            per year, compared to            consumer average which is           
• Esports viewers            some of the highest spender            rates across all entertainment, in            to music and video streaming            who show a strong spender            in their respective areas but            so across other entertainment fields
• Simultaneously, esports            are more tolerant to ads            more likely to follow brands            social media
• The majority            esports viewers are concentrated within            small handful of large games            including Tencent, Epic Games, Activision,            EA
• Rocket League            the most esports-centric audience, with            players viewing esports monthly
• The Call            Duty gamer community has the            overall esports viewers across surveyed           
• Though still            esports viewers are valuable across            and present compelling reasons for            brands to increase involvement in            space 

Companies and brands mentioned in this report:  Activision, Apex Legends, Assassin’s Creed, EA, Epic Games, FIFA, Fortnite, League of Legends, GTA, Overwatch, Riot Games, Rocket League, Rockstar, Spotify, Valorant, YouTube