The North American eSport market
In 2018, major brands invested US$694 million across the entire eSports market. Most of this money is concentrated in the North American market, which is primarily represented by the US. So much for the fact that the US is a great eSports nation, at least in terms of profitability and revenue.
The North American market, the biggest market for eSports
When it comes to sports on the world stage, the United States often leads the way. But while the U.S. can boast an impressive number of Olympic medals (2,827 to be exact), on the eSports scene, North American teams struggle to exist. In fact, in almost all of the most popular eSports games, North America is considered the laughing stock of the competitive scene.
Unlike physical sports, North America has only one world title in Counter Strike-Global Offensive. When it comes to League of Legends, Dota 2, Overwatch or Heroes of the Storm, there are few North American players competing at the highest level.
In reality, the reason the US and Canada weigh so much on the eSports scene is in terms of investment and revenue. Some of the biggest eSport events take place on North American soil and bring in several million dollars for organizers, publishers and advertisers through ticket sales alone. The North American eSport industry is therefore particularly lucrative. In fact, by the end of this year, North America will once again be the largest eSports market with revenues of around 409 million dollars, and there are 24 million eSports fans in the USA and Canada.
eSport is an industry that does better than TV ratingss
The North American eSports market represents a huge financial windfall. In addition to the top-ranked professional players and teams, those who benefit the most are video game brands and publishers. When we look at the case of Madden 19, for example, a title published by Electronic Arts belonging to the eponymous franchise, we realize that the impact of eSports is substantial.
Indeed, a Madden 19 tournament held in Jacksonville propelled the game's sales to $4 billion, with a total of 130 million units sold.
In the U.S., video games are slowly taking over television. In this regard, the auditing firm SuperData Research found that about 33 million people in North America regularly watch eSports games, of which 71% are between the ages of 18 and 34. It is also worth noting that eSports has become an academic discipline across the Atlantic. Indeed, some universities in Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Rhode Island teach eSports to students. If eSport is becoming so legitimate in America, it's because the US eSport market is flourishing; they are expected to gather some 454 million viewers in 2019 according to Newzoo, a research firm specializing in esport.
As the land of greatest opportunity, eSports has a natural place in North America. There are more financial operations and more revenue streams. But the current balance may be shifting and other booming global markets may take the lead. You can read all about the other eSports markets below.
