{"id":485,"date":"2017-05-03T14:47:56","date_gmt":"2017-05-03T14:47:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/?p=485"},"modified":"2017-10-23T04:02:15","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T04:02:15","slug":"afl-eyes-1-2-billion-esports-market-to-broaden-exposure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esportbet.com\/afl-eyes-1-2-billion-esports-market-to-broaden-exposure\/","title":{"rendered":"AFL eyes $1.2 billion eSports market to broaden exposure"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AFL

In a bid to expand and diversify its revenue streams, the league will encourage clubs to sponsor existing teams or create their own squads of professional video gamers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It will also give the AFL an opportunity to penetrate the elusive ‘millennial’ market.<\/p>\n

The 14-39 age bracket was once a stronghold for Australian football, but many young adults are now turning away from traditional live sports in favour of the virtual kind.<\/p>\n

At the heart of the proposal is a live showpiece event at Etihad Stadium, of which the AFL took ownership in October 2016.<\/p>\n

Darren Birch, the league’s general manager of growth, digital and audiences, said there were no doubts as to whether or not the project would capture the public’s imagination.<\/p>\n

“eSports events sell out,” he told Fairfax media.<\/p>\n

“They are amazing live events.<\/p>\n

“There are more screens, more activities going on, more lights, more LED displays.<\/p>\n

“Some of the tournaments I have seen show that eSports is more concert-like than sport-like, but that’s what appeals to that younger audience.<\/p>\n

“All of these things make the experience bigger and bolder than your average sport.”<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, the National Basketball Association became the first top-flight sports organisation to step boldly into that uncharted frontier when it unveiled the 2K eLeague.<\/p>\n

That competition, which is scheduled to launch in 2018, will see gifted button-mashers drafted and signed by some of the biggest franchises in US sport.<\/p>\n

Many Australian football clubs already sponsor other live sports teams, most notably in the AFL Women’s competition and Super Netball.<\/p>\n

The eight clubs that participated in the inaugural AFLW season are already reaping the benefits of reaching out to a growing sector of the sporting community that had gone largely ignored for decades.<\/p>\n

According to Birch, teams that venture into the $1.2 billion eSports industry can expect even greater rewards.<\/p>\n

“eSports is very strong in the millennial area, so for us it is about diverse exposure to that audience,” he said.<\/p>\n

“That’s no different to AFLW where we became more relevant to a female audience.<\/p>\n

“Whether that translates into football is somewhat relevant but also not totally relevant.<\/p>\n

“We want AFL, through eSports, to have the ability to generate a broader appeal for clubs and be able to bring more sponsors, revenue and consumption of your brand \u2013 whether that’s a live footy event or a live eSports event.”<\/p>\n

Birch is one of thousands heading to Sydney this weekend for the Intel Extreme Masters tournament, where Counter-Strike: GO enthusiasts will duke it out for $260,000 in prize money.<\/p>\n

What we think of the AFL’s eSports revolution<\/h2>\n

This is a train that will not be stopped.<\/p>\n

The eSports scene is no longer a niche for spotty teens who can’t kick a footy and don’t enjoy sunlight.<\/p>\n

It is the next big thing in world sport<\/a>, and it is gaining momentum at a frightening rate.<\/p>\n

Competitive video gaming is now watched by more than 239 million people worldwide, with live eSports events drawing crowds of 20,000 and up.<\/p>\n

If this weekend’s IEM Sydney tournament lives up to expectations, the turnout at Qudos Bank Arena will put most NRL grounds to shame.<\/p>\n

But shooter games are only the tip of the iceberg.<\/p>\n

The frenzy surrounding the launch of the NBA 2K eLeague has confirmed what many suspected: that virtual sports is the way to breach the mainstream.<\/p>\n

And while the AFL is right to jump on board, it faces one significant obstacle compared to other codes.<\/p>\n

Basketball has 2K, soccer has FIFA and Pro Evo, but there has never been a popular, well-made AFL video game.<\/p>\n

A new and improved version is slated for release later this year, but expectations are not especially high among those who have played previous incarnations such as AFL Live.<\/p>\n

Of course, that does not mean Aussie rules clubs cannot get involved the industry; you can bet the likes of Collingwood and Essendon and Hawthorn will jump at the chance to slap their logo on a successful CS:GO or FIFA outfit.<\/p>\n

There are things the AFL will need to iron out if they wish to get the most out of this play, but it is a big, bold step into the 21st century that could pay huge dividends down the line.<\/p>\n

This story first appeared on BettingSite.com.au as ‘AFL reveals plans to corner $1.2 billion eSports market.<\/a>‘<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

THE Australian Football League is preparing a landmark move into the booming eSports industry. 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