I must admit, as someone who grew up in the era of dial-up internet and pixelated video games, it’s fascinating to see how eSports has evolved into a global powerhouse, with Germany leading the charge in Europe. The rapid growth and increasing revenue are nothing short of astonishing, and it’s hard not to be captivated by this digital revolution.
Der Erfolgszug von eSport begann in Asien und entwickelte sich seitdem rapide zu einer der beliebtesten und am stärksten gesponsorten Sportarten in den USA wie auch in Europa. Deutschland entpuppt sich hier gerade zum Vorreiter, was Vereinsstrukturen und international erfolgreiche Teams betrifft, zudem verzeichnet sich hier in den vergangenen Jahren ein geradezu gigantischer Umsatzzuwachs. Stecken viele traditionsreiche Sportvereine derzeit in der finanziellen Krise, wird dem eSport weltweit eine blühende Zukunft prognostiziert – und das, obwohl viele Kritiker die Bezeichnung als Sport weiterhin anzweifeln.
Ein rasanter Umsatzanstieg im eSport weltweit
In the coming years, it is unlikely that any other sport can hope for such steep revenue growth: with global revenues projected to be approximately $1.72 billion in 2023, they are forecasted to reach nearly $2.06 billion in 2024. By 2032, the revenues are expected to grow to nearly $9.3 billion, primarily from sectors like merchandising, ticket sales, sponsorships, media rights, advertising, game publisher fees, and more. In Germany, the revenue for this year is predicted to be around €277.7 million, with a market volume of €367.1 million expected by 2029, which represents an annual growth rate of 5.75%. What makes this sport so popular and profitable, and what does the club structure look like in both amateur and professional spheres?
Die Entwicklung des Begriffs „eSport“
The term eSports emerged in the 90s and became a fixed term in the computer and video gaming community with the spread of the internet. Although it is not currently recognized as an Olympic sport, it has been included in the Asian Indoor Games organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). Starting in 2025, Saudi Arabia will even host its own Olympic-style games for eSports, as members of the International Olympic Committee unanimously decided at their 142nd meeting in Paris. The games are planned up until 2037 to cater to the growing number of three billion gamers worldwide, as stated in the announcement.
Die Popularität und Unterstützung des eSports in Deutschland
Die Zahl der ambitionierten Sportler in Deutschland ist derzeit nicht klar nachweisbar und reicht Schätzungen zufolge von 1,5 bis zu 4,5 Millionen Spieler, soll jedoch bis zu 2029 auf über 20 Millionen ansteigen. Auch eine Vereinsstruktur hat sich bereits herausgebildet: der eSport-Bund Deutschland vertritt derzeit 120 Vereine, Sponsoren und Unternehmen, wobei sich der sportliche Bereich in Breitensport und Leistungssport untergliedert. Im Leistungssportbereich sind derzeit acht Mitglieder gelistet, unter anderem Eintracht Spandau, TeamOrangeGaming aus Bayern und Alternate Attax aus Sachsen. In internationalen Turnieren spielen derzeit auch MOUZ aus Hamburg, die seit 2002 als Gamer-Organisation besteht und in über zehn unterschiedlichen Games spielt. Weltweit bekannt ist auch BIG (Berlin International Gaming), die Global Offensive und Counter Strike 2 spielen und in europäischen wie auch internationalen Turnieren siegten – wie beispielsweise zuletzt bei den CCT Online Finals, die Ende 2023 ausgetragen wurden, wo sie ein Preisgeld von 100.000 US-Dollar gewannen.
Yearly, the German eSports Bundesliga is now held as well, featuring numerous diverse tournaments such as Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Warzone, Apex Legends, FC 24, and more. These events are exciting not only for the players themselves but also for betting: Although football betting still holds the largest share of the currently rapidly growing online betting market in Germany, eSports betting is projected to reach a volume of 178.9 million Euro by 2024. In football, traditional sports and eSports are becoming increasingly intertwined: most Bundesliga clubs have their own eSports teams, with FIFA (now FC 24) being particularly popular, but also League of Legends is played in other tournaments. The virtual Bundesliga will be played again in the 2024/25 season and officially began on October 20th, with games taking place in the North-West and South-West divisions. However, in eSports, favorites can vary: In the previous season, for example, 1. FSV Mainz 05 led the table in the South-East division, followed by RB Leipzig, while FC Bayern only managed a sixth-place finish. In the North-West Division, SC Paderborn was in first place, followed by SV Werder Bremen, with Borussia Dortmund finishing in tenth place.
Der wirtschaftliche Einfluss und die Zukunft des eSports in Deutschland
Despite the fact that physical athleticism isn’t necessarily required in esports, critics continue to question whether it should be considered a sport. However, the popularity, rapid growth, and significant economic potential of esports cannot be ignored. The fanbase is predominantly young and eager to invest, tech industry sponsors are financially capable, and even the government has started heavily supporting this virtual sport. As early as 2019, the federal government saw an opportunity for Germany to establish itself as a technological leader in esports: since then, the federal budget has included a 50 million Euro allocation for game promotion.
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2024-11-15 08:00