Why esports betting on the rise during COVID-19 (Part 3)
New advertising opportunities have appeared
Another factor may have contributed to the proliferation of e-sports betting amid advertising-related coronavirus. Many brands see the potential of esports and the new advertising opportunities it offers. Endemic companies like Intel and HP have strengthened the sponsorship partnership over the years with names like the Overwatch League.
Advertising experts say the growing interest in esports on behalf of the non-endemic FMCG brands is not endemic. Kellogg’s and Coca Cola have set the stage by signing lucrative deals with Overwatch League and Major League Soccer in early 2019. Others like to invest in brand ambassadors like Procter & Gamble. The company recruited Dota 2 gamer Roman Kushnarev (aka RAMZES666) as ambassadors.
These trends continued during the pandemic, with Chipotle announcing a partnership with celebrity skateboarder Tony Hawk in August 2020. Chipotle customers ordering Tony Hawk burritos now. Grant access to a demo version of this skaters’ iconic new arcade game.
Earlier this year, BMW also decided to expand its presence by partnering with five major League of Legends teams. They are T1 from Korea, FunPlus Phoenix from China, Cloud 9 from the United States, G2 Esports from Germany, and Fnatic from England. This increase in advertising spontaneously pushed the esports industry forward.
Esports show no signs of slowing down
According to the SportingPedia report, while the esports industry suffered a slight injury due to the absence of tournaments in the live arenas, the sector showed no signs of slowing down.
Advertising spending in the esports industry is expected to reach $ 1 billion over the next two years as more and more companies see its potential. Prior to the Corona Virus, industry revenue was expected to grow to almost $ 1.8 billion by 2023. Today, this number doesn’t seem to be appreciated.