The Dynamic Australian Esports System

Globally esports continues to hit the headlines with large event audiences, impressive digital reach, along with new partners entering the system across sponsorship's, broadcasts, teams and leagues.

In Australia, since the Adelaide Football Club acquired Legacy Esports in May 2017, there has been a long list of further investments into the Australian esports industry, with new market entrants across teams, tournaments, broadcast and media.  The below summary is not exhaustive, but it does suggest the esports system in Australia is growing and there is continual investment and interest. 

• Intel Extreme Masters Sydney Announced 2018
• Bastion Live acquisition of Avant Gaming 2018
• Adelaide FC starts META High School Esports in partnership with Riot Games 2018
• Gfinity Australia Est 2018
• AFL partners with Riot Games 2018
• Essendon Bombers acquisition of Abyss Gaming 2018
• Sin Gaming investors and its transition to Mammoth 2018
• Melbourne Esports Open Tournament Announced 2018
• NRG partners with Click Management 2018
• Lets Play Live Acquisition of Cyber Gamer 2019
• Australian Open Fortnite Tournament 2019
• Fairfax investment into Chiefs Esports Club
• Sports Geek investment into Gravitas Gaming 2019
• META High School Esports expands to New Zealand 2019
• NT Government Tender – Palmerston Esports Facility Business Case 2019
• Tainted Minds investors and its transition to ICON 2019    

However, the expansion and growth will have some growing pains. Having presented to quite a few marketers and CMO’s on Legacy Esports, there is a clear interest in the esports sector in Australia.

This interest and exploration into esports by Australian marketers will in time, turn into a range of marketing initiatives across teams, tournaments, leagues, players and innovation. Ultimately, this investment will take time to translate. Brands are keen to know more on esports both here in Australia and globally. For a marketer, the opportunity to connect too hard to reach millennial's, is highly attractive. Brand case studies on esports and their results are only just starting to be tabled globally. Whilst within Australia, brand case studies are still few and far between.

The reason for this, is time, or the lack of time.

Within the investment list above, the new market entrants into Australian esports will take time for their teams, leagues and tournaments to build out brand case studies and their results. Its early days.

Marketers in Australia making brand investment decisions require evidence and facts.

Legacy Esports has been in this position but now after 18 months (with the support of the Adelaide Football Club) we now have complied several case studies and findings from our partner campaigns. The gathering of further research and outcomes will continue into 2019.

Our insights partner Nielsen Sport who measure our market performance and results are highly valued and will continue to build out their own esports measurement and performance capabilities here in Australia. The compilation of Australian esports marketing evidence across teams, leagues and tournaments will continue to add up over the coming year or so. Esports in Australia is growing, and it’s not going away.

But there will be a time lag between those who make the investment into the Australian Esports System and then their ability to monetize and generate revenues from sponsorship.

It takes time to build the rationale and supporting case studies for marketers to consider. This will have strategic implications for all investors in the Dynamic Australian Esports System.