What are esports about?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Esports encompass all things pertaining to video games on PC, consoles, virtual reality systems, and mobile devices<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Some of the best esports influencers are casual players who\u2019ve managed to connect with large audiences. YouTube <\/strong>is the preferred platform for popular gamers to upload their gameplay streams and commentary. Twitch<\/strong> is another leading social media platform for gamers and esports athletes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The esports industry<\/a> also includes all levels of professional and amateur video game competitive events. Esports influencers may be professional athletes, but not all professional esports athletes qualify as influencers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMost projections put the esports ecosystem on track to surpass $1 billion in revenue for the first time this year. And revenue is expected to grow from here\u2014Newzoo projects it to hit $1.8 billion by 2022. Money flows into esports through media rights, live event ticket sales, merchandise sales, and in-game purchases, but most of the revenue (69%) comes from sponsorships and advertising.\u201d – <\/em>Insider Intelligence, 2021<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Gaming brands stand to gain the most from strategic partnerships with skilled gamers and social media creators. Alongside sponsorships and revenue earned through competitive events, these brands often lean on the authentic endorsements of popular esports influencers online (namely streaming platforms such as YouTube<\/a> and Twitch<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, video game accessory and equipment brands also invest in gamer partnerships. Gamers demonstrate remarkable expertise in their field, and product recommendations inform fan purchasing decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One unique consideration for the esports industry is the age of players and influencers. Some esports influencers are surprisingly young and start YouTubing in middle school (or earlier). If you\u2019re considering a partnership with younger influencers<\/a>, be sure to adhere to FCC rules and COPPA regulations<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well-known esports athletes may or may not have meaningful relationships with their fans. That said, some gamer celebrities like Kyle Giersdorf and Artour Babaev, are happy to endorse products that they love, and those endorsements attract the attention of millions of esports fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And most gamer influencers do more than play video games. For example, one influencer in our top 20 list (GamingWithJen) is both a fashion<\/a> and esports influencer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gamer influencers love to partner with nonprofits, and they are particular about their gaming equipment such as CPUs, controllers, monitors, chairs, mics, and headphones. Many of them compete in formal tournaments online and around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You will find more success recruiting esports influencers if you cater to the things they love. For example, most of these influencers enjoy testing new products and reviewing them for audiences online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The gaming community is fairly tight-knit. It\u2019s likely that the influencer you\u2019re interested in is a member of a team or group like The Taco Crew or Banana Bus Squad. Partnering with one of these gamers might mean impromptu, bonus appearances by their equally-popular esports colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe esports market<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Esports creators and their impact on brands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Esports](\"https:\/\/grin.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/esport-player-min.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n20 esports creators brands should know<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Influencer #1: VanossGaming<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n