ESports: The New Entertainment in the Digital Area

SHERDON PIERRE

OVER one hundred ESport players and enthusiasts were present yesterday, at the Teaching and Learning Complex, UWI, St Augustine for a guest lecture by Juan Diego Garcia on the topic of ESports: The New Entertainment in the Digital Area. The event was hosted by the UWI/ FIFA/ CIES Sports Management under the department of Management Studies.

Garcia, who holds the position of South America Country Manager, Professional Video Games League presented videos, statistics as well as present and futuristic plans of the Professional E Sport Leagues throughout Chile, Mexico and Argentina.

He said, “For you here in TT whether you are in football, cricket or volleyball, you have to be professional and that is what we do at ESport. We are the new entertainment of this era. This is the fastest growing sport in the world. He continued, “Professional football clubs in Europe have ESport teams now because they attract a different audience. Esports tournaments are selling out some of the largest arenas in Latin America. We in Latin America are still amateur but aiming to be professional like Europe US and Brazil in about two or three years.”

He advised the TT Gamers and enthusiasts, “Get the news of ESport on television, newspapers and all over; do not only focus on social media.” However, local Gamers shared their sentiments and the struggles the fraternity face in TT. Most of them mentioned the lack of sponsorship as a major deterring factor also the difficulties of building awareness so that TT can produce professional E Sport players.

From his experiences thus far in the ESport industry, he highlighted some steps that are crucial in promoting your product as business. The five steps include: build a profitable product; brand development; entering new markets; systematic and attractive media plans; cross-section platform.