vSports
FIFA AND PES | MADDEN | NBA 2K | NHL | MLB THE SHOW | UFC
vSPORTS—video game versions of traditional sports— have been proven to create new fans for the stick-and-ball sports they depict. Now the race for the Gen Y and Z fanbases is on, and every sport, league and franchise must step up its vSports game or face long-term irrelevance.nearly half of gamers, thanks to gaming on smartphones and social media.
FEMALE GAMERS
When FIFA added women’s national teams to console play, it took just 16 days for American striker Alex Morgan’s in-game alter ego to score 1 million goals.
GAMERGATE harassment online is keeping female participation down in eSports.
Uninterupted Fifa
The EA FIFA franchise is vSports’ big star thus far. With 2.3 million Interactive World Cup worldwide qualifiers in 2016, FIFA is the largest eSports competition in the world. Nine million games are played every day. And in-game purchasing is fairly evolved, with 2016 sales reaching $650 million. In the first 16 days after its release, 1.5 billion hours of FIFA 16 were played online.
Genuine competition from Pro Evolution Soccer keeps FIFA quality high.
IN-GAME ADVERTISING
Advertising real brands inside eSports fantasy games destroys the narrative. But advertising and sponsorship is part and parcel of sports games; it makes them more legitimate and real.
Advertising inside sports games is expected to spike dramatically.
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$7B
CURRENT IN-GAME AD MARKET