It is unsurprising that esports, with its massive audience, lucrative championships, and sold-out events is starting to rival some of the most well-established sports in Europe.
Despite still being a relatively young industry, esports shows no signs of slowing down and continues to grow, attracting sponsors looking to take advantage of the burgeoning market. One of the industry’s most successful games is League of Legends, which has gained significant popularity among younger audiences in Europe, according to data from Nielsen.
According to a recent study, the League of Legends European Championship (LEC) has a higher Average Minute Audience (AMA) among 16 to 29 year olds than sports like tennis, basketball, and rugby union. AMA is a measure of the average number of people who were watching a particular game or event at any given moment. The study compared the AMA of European viewers during last year’s broadcasts of the Heineken Champions Cup in rugby union, a tennis grand slam, the UEFA Champions League, and the LEC.
The data also found that the average age of an LEC fan is just 23 years old, which is 19 years younger than the average age of soccer fans. This demonstrates the long-term potential of the LEC’s fan base. The game’s viewers are typically young, single men in high school or college. This indicates not only a bright future for the game, but also an opportunity to diversify and expand its audience. There are already more parents involved in the esports industry, and it is expected that people’s enthusiasm for esports will be naturally passed down through generations.
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