According to a recent report published by industry analysis firm Newzoo, 427 million people will be watching esports by the year 2019. As more than 1.5 billion people become aware of esports over the next few years (as in, they've heard of esports even if they don't tune in), the entire industry will become more lucrative too. It is expected that the esports industry will be earning a revenue of more than $1 billion by the time 2019 rolls around, which represents a massive increase from the estimated $463 million revenue the industry earned in 2016.

A major part of this growth, explained Newzoo in a statement, is that there is an increasing number of esports tournaments for viewers to tune in to. This "abundance" of events has "accelerated" the global exposure of esports as well and the interest in the sector generally. But what exactly is it that makes esports tournaments so potent? And how are the esports tournaments that we are witnessing now that much different to the esports tournaments first made available when esports as a concept began all the way back in 1972?  

Esports Tournament Now Have Celebrity Endorsements

The first major difference in esports tournaments between now and yesteryear is that these days, they tend to feature celebrity endorsements. As esports have risen in popularity and exposure, celebrities (and their overworked PR teams) have seen tournaments as a smart way to get in front of massive audiences and, since many celebrities these days are gamers anyway, it's an easy way to raise a celeb's profile by doing what they love. But there are also new forms of celebrities as in addition to actor and musicians; streaming personalities who have massive followings on platforms such as Twitch and YouTube Gaming can also lend value to an esports tournament as their legions of fans tune in to see their favorite players do what they do best. The recent Fortnite Celebrity Pro-Am event at E3 2018 is a good example of this. Fortnite Battle Royale developer Epic Games invited personalities and celebs including streamer Ninja, NBA player Paul George, rapper Desiigner, actress Janina Gavankar and rockstar Pete Wentz all faced off for charity. Combined, these people have millions of followers, raising the tournament's profile in a big way.

Major Games Have Official Leagues

And, speaking of official initiatives, the popularity of esports tournaments can also be attributed to the fact that there are now so many official leagues with the biggest of these allowing fans to place bets on the outcome. Some of the top tournaments to bet on include the Call of Duty World League, which brings together the best players of the shooter series across the Americas and Europe, Dota 2: The International, which regularly has one of the biggest prize pots in esports (thanks to Valve's donation drive), and the FIFA Interactive World Cup, which appeals to casual soccer fans, newbie esports gamblers and gamers alike. While community events are still a very big deal, when a league is supported by the game's developer, publisher or the other official body behind the brand, it helps to bring in more viewers to a tournament. It makes sense that an esports tournament held at Madison Square Garden, promoted with billboard advertisements and broadcast on television is going to have much more exposure than a tournament taking place in a community rec center.

Esports Tournaments Are Easier to Watch

As mentioned above, some esports tournaments are now broadcast on TV channels. In the United States, broadcasters of traditional sports such as NBA basketball and NFL American football, such as ESPN, have begun to branch out into the world of esports. As they recognize the massive potential of appealing to the gaming audience, they have begun to put together deals that allow them to use their knowledge of tournament production, analysis and more to up the quality of the tournaments. On the one hand, this helps to legitimize the esports industry, making people understand that it can be just as entertaining as traditional sports. But on the other, it also puts esports in front of people who may not tune in to watch it on livestreaming platforms such as Twitch, YouTube or Mixer, making them the most unlikely of esports fans.

As that Newzoo report makes clear, there is no stopping the esports train and the industry looks poised for mainstream success within the next 18 months or so. It also seems that tournaments will help to accelerate that growth as they offer players a structured and more easily followable way to get into the action. Across a season or several days of play, fans can follow rivalries, nailbiting games and gain an insight into the best strategies too. Considering all of this, it's no wonder why esports tournaments are so popular and why we are seeing more of them held all around the world.