5 Ways Traditional Professional Sports Can Help Move Esports Forward

Jonathan Domineck
Games
Games

While traditional sports viewership is seemingly declining, viewership for esports — the new kid on the block — continues to grow at a tremendous pace. And though the debate on whether esports players are “true athletes” still lingers, the increasing popularity of esports has nonetheless drawn the attention of participants from traditional sports leagues. Teams like the New England Patriots, New York Mets, and Houston Rockets have invested in their own esports franchises, ensuring they don’t miss out on the tremendous opportunity this new frontier has to offer.

But what do the seasoned veterans of traditional sports have to offer beyond investment? How can they help the newbies navigate the Wild West of professional esports?

Despite things falling into place for the nascent competitive gaming industry, there is still a lot they can learn from the experiences of their more established brethren. So, here are five ways traditional professional sports teams can help move esports forward.

Building a Centralized Structure

Counter Strike Global Offensive logo - Adderall abuse led to performance enhancing drug ban
A ban on performance-enhancing drugs was enacted after a Counter-Strike league abused Adderall. But what about players who legitimately need the banned substance?

Currently, the esports industry lacks a centralized governing structure. Individual game publishers typically retain control and, in some cases, act as judge, jury, and executioner. This decentralized structure often leads to issues such as match-fixing, betting, substance abuse, and discipline being inconsistently regulated across esports. This can easily cast a shadow of doubt over the integrity of the industry.

Input from participants in traditional sports, who have already effectively dealt with problems like performance-enhancing drugs, can help with building a stronger infrastructure for esports. For instance, they could assist in the development of a centralized governing body that consistently polices violations and exacts punishment across the industry. Stronger oversight for esports will be key in helping to protect the integrity of the industry as it continues to evolve and mature.

Localized Fan Support

Overwatch League teams
Overwatch League embraced a geographically-based franchise system similar to traditional sports leagues.

The traditional sports model can also help the esports industry build support from fans and sponsors in local markets. Many esports leagues utilize promotion and relegation-based models, which have teams switch divisions based on their performance and skills. These structures make it confusing for fans to connect with teams, as teams may ultimately be replaced.

Switching to a franchise-based model that locks each team to a specific region similar to that of traditional leagues can help tie esports to local communities. With a consistent team to root for, even casual fans might be moved to show allegiance to their home team by buying memorabilia or tickets to matches.

Overwatch League (OWL) has already benefited from embracing a franchise structure, which generated local fan support by establishing permanent franchises based on geography. Not to be outdone, the European League of Championship Series recently announced its intention to abandon a promotion and relegation system in favor of a permanent franchise model. Other esports leagues will likely benefit from adopting similar geo-based franchise structures that better align local area interests with permanent franchise teams.

Refining the Training Regimen

Team Liquid Alienware Training facility
Team Liquid watches game film inside their Alienware Training Facility.

A proper training regimen is vital for any athlete to maintain their elite status. Some esports athletes even train as much as 15 hours a day. While this may help with maintaining elevated levels of dexterity and awareness, it can have detrimental effects on their mental, physical, and social well-being.

Traditional sports athletes are no strangers to intense training. Yet, the sports industry has figured out how to develop their athletes’ skills at a pace that minimizes long-term injuries and maximizes their mental well-being. With the traditional sports industry’s help, esports leagues could develop a similar training model that instills a more professional culture.

For instance, some teams, like Team Liquid, have moved away from the gaming house model and have begun utilizing state-of-the-art training facilities to assist in their professional development. At their 8,000-square-foot Alienware Training Facility, Team Liquid works with coaches, reviews game footage, and practices. They also have access to a nutritionist, physical coaches, and even a sports psychologist. Adopting new training strategies based on best practices already employed by traditional sports will help esports athletes to safely elevate their game to the next level.

Creating Household Names

Michael Jordan and Mars Blackmon
Is it the shoes? Mars Blackmon helped Michael Jordan become a household name.

Before Michael Jordan became recognized as arguably the best basketball player ever, his immortality as a basketball deity was etched in stone in another way — by Mars Blackmon. Wait…who? Mars Blackmon! C’mon, Money! Spike Lee’s character from the film “She’s Gotta Have It” served as the Air Jordan hype man in the early commercials for the now-popular shoe line. The popularity of the brand helped Jordan become a household name long before his six championship wins. Jordan’s popularity, in turn, helped propel the NBA to new heights.

Esports would also benefit from raising their player’s popularity through endorsement deals outside of its organically grown, endemic gaming community. Though the success of the Air Jordan campaign in building Jordan’s brand was truly unique, helping players or even teams achieve advertising deals outside of the gaming community will be important, especially as esports attempts to increase its appeal outside of the gaming community. Images of players, such as SonicFox and KuroKy, gracing a box of Wheaties — or their own line of Nike products — will not only make them more easily identifiable but also help esports further breakout with mainstream fans.

Media Coverage

ESPN Magazine cover on esports
Mainstream media coverage of esports will help the industry continue to move forward.

For esports to continue moving forward, the industry will have to forge alliances with major media companies beyond Twitch and YouTube. The popularity of OWL helped Blizzard to secure a deal with Disney to broadcast games on ESPN. TBS has also been an early adopter of esports. However, many other esports leagues have yet to receive mainstream media coverage. Traditional sports partners can help play a role in this by helping to leverage off the relationships they have already established with mainstream media companies to help bring about more esports coverage.

The NBA has become one of the more prominent traditional sports league supporters of esports. Current and former NBA owners and players are investors in 9 of the 10 North American League of Legends Championship Series teams, and many NBA arenas have been home to esports events. The NBA even worked with Take-Two Interactive to launch its own esports league, NBA 2K League. While NBA 2K League lacks the following of OWL and LoL within the gaming community, it still has the potential to help esports by drawing coverage from relationships with non-traditional gaming media partners and appealing to NBA fans curious about the esports phenomenon.

Jonathan Domineck