Marketing and Sponsorship of Esports Without Getting Ganked

Abstract

Sports sponsorship is an area of marketing responsible for raising financial resources. This is a similar understanding within the realm of Esports as the fastest growing sport in decades. Recognizing the clear parallel between sports and Esports within the marketing realm, as ways through which to raise financial resources through sponsorship opportunities, there are also significant differences that apply, partially due to the digital comfortability of gamers as a novel and as yet unexperienced curiosity, as well as the native community competitive nature of the Esports realm that highlights parallels with many other sports. As such, sponsorship of Esports events has become a marketing communication tool as it is able to significantly impact the target audience, similar in nature to other sports while still introducing new marketing communications tools. The interaction between sponsor and sponsored has become a mutual benefit; it augments the brand awareness in the market while facilitating the communication with the target audience, and it supports sports events.